Constructing sovereign selves in special education

Abstract

The history of special education is also a philosophical history of conceptions of the self. Inspired by the genealogical works of Foucault, this essay will explore the philosophical history of special education as a constitutive force in shaping special education students. While this article focuses on the United States, the analysis of conceptions of autonomy is relevant to special education in the Western World. In conclusion, this paper proposes a return to the constructivist roots of special education to broaden the appreciation and valorization of the aesthetic and ethical connections that sustain a meaningful life.

Keywords

• special education. philosophy. inclusion. self-determination critique.