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When people find out they are pregnant, they often undergo genetic testing, and if the results indicate a high probability of the child having a disability, they consider terminating the pregnancy. This is largely because the dominant perception is that a disability leads to a life of hardship, not just for the individual with the disability, but for their family as well. How did this negative image of disability come about?

In ancient times, people with disabilities were thought of as bearers of "messages from the gods," "wonders," and "beings with unimaginable abilities." However, as times changed, their status evolved into perceptions of being "deformed", "entities to be eradicated", and "patients." But why did this change occur?

Professor Rosemarie Garland-Thomson analyzes this phenomenon through the lens of disability studies. She argues that disability is a sociocultural construct and uses eugenics and stigma theory to explain how people with disabilities have been discriminated against and excluded. She further highlights that attempts to eradicate disability continue to this day, as exemplified by prenatal testing and selective abortion. Through her lecture series, Professor Thomson explores the history and culture of disability and offers concrete steps in which we can move towards an inclusive society.