“Forbidden trick”: disability and public scandal in traditional and online media

Abstract

The author provides an analysis of the public sphere and public scandal as challenges for future research in communicative situations of transgression of habitual norms and forms of discourse on disability. The studied cases of public scandals illustrate the key changes in forms and content of discussions about disability within the given period (2008—2017) and also serve as а «snapshot» of possible combinations of traditional and online media when there is informational surge around the discussed norms of publicness.Based on theoretical resources and comparative analysis of cases, the author proposes a typology of disability-related public scandals and explains possible public reaction to possible ethical problems. The author’s analytical approach can be used in disability studies as well as studies related to media, technological and social functions of public scandals.