Epistemic Barriers and «Mutual Aid»: What Kind of Accessibility?3
Stefania Falchi, Antioco Luigi Zurru
If considered beyond technical aspects, accessibility prompts a re-evaluation of vital social and cultural dimensions central to the inclusion process. Within this framework, it becomes feasible to engage in critical reflection and deconstruction of scientific constructs or their interpretive frameworks that wield significant influence over beliefs and perspectives. This applies to biologist Charles Darwin’s work and its reinterpretations, which may have implications for how society has embraced diversity. This evolutionary view is often reduced to being just about competition, ignoring complementary evolutionary dynamics like «mutual aid». Based on these considerations and within the framework of special education, this contribution raises some fundamental questions: to what extent have misunderstandings of Darwinian theories influenced our view of the world, and how significant have they been for inclusive processes? What contribution can Kropotkin’s representation of «mutual aid» (1890) offer in breaking down «epistemic barriers»?
Keywords
Social accessibility, Disability, Evolution of species, Inclusion, Mutual aid.
