Decolonizing Disability in Social and Theology Structures

An Indonesian Perspective 1

Bibliographic Data

ID22112274
AuthorsRobert Setio (0000-0002-2964-7743, Duta Wacana Christian University, corresponding author)
Year2026
Volume30
Issue1
Pages81-99
Publication date2026-01-02
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueJournal of Disability & Religion (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 2331-2521 • E-ISSN: 2331-253X
PublisherInforma UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/23312521.2025.2531798
OpenAlexW4412366356
LanguageEN
References cited17

This article explores the decolonization of disability through a critical examination of colonial and theological ideologies, focusing on the Indonesian context. Disability has historically been constructed and marginalized by colonial powers linking bodily norms to productivity, racial hierarchies, and theological notions of purity. These colonial ideologies persist today in Indonesian state policies, educational practices, and religious institutions, often reinforcing ableist views and marginalizing indigenous epistemologies and communal practices. Employing a critical decolonial framework influenced by thinkers like Walter Mignolo, Aníbal Quijano, and María Lugones, and integrating theological perspectives from Nancy Eiesland, and others of similar thought, this study argues that disability is not merely a site requiring decolonization but also a powerful agent of social and theological transformation. Through analyzing theological reinterpretations and epistemological critiques rooted in local contexts, this article demonstrates how rethinking disability through indigenous and relational frameworks can challenge entrenched colonial norms, ultimately affirming human dignity and interconnectedness. Thus, disability emerges as an essential catalyst in the broader project of decolonization, reshaping societal values and epistemologies toward greater justice, inclusivity, and holistic community

Indonesian · Linguistics · Sociology · Theology · Anthropological Studies and Insights · Asian Studies and History · Computer Science · Disability Rights and Representation · Philosophy · Artificial Intelligence

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