Lecture, two hours; discussion, two hours. Examination of ways in which certain bodies and minds have been categorized, disabled, conceived of, oppressed, and liberated in U.S. over time. Using intersectional lens, exploration of origins of American eugenics movement, social construction of normalcy and (dis)ability, and ableism in its many forms (e.g., individual, legal, medical, cultural, financial). Students learn how to apply critical disability studies framework to evaluate relationships between race, ethnicity, language, gender, sexual orientation, income, and disability in relation to disablement and ableism. Covers key topics and theoretical frameworks in disability studies to give students foundational and conceptual knowledge needed to analyze social, political, and cultural issues from critical disability studies perspectives. P/NP or letter grading.