People with intellectual disabilities in Iceland in the twentieth century: sterilisation, social role valorisation and ‘normal life’
This chapter considers the history of people with intellectual disabilities in Iceland, paying particular attention to the last quarter of the twentieth century when ideas about a normal life began to influence Icelandic disability policy and legislation, which has emphasised social equality and participation for over 30 years. The first half of the twentieth century can be characterised by negative social perception and isolation at institutions. The ´professional community´ pursued aggressively restrictive meassure such as controlled marriage, sterilization and segregation through institutionalization. During the 1960s and 1970s ideologies (sometimes problematic) of normalization and social role valorisation replaced ideas of segregation and institutionalization, calling for a ‘normal life’ for people with intellectual disabilities and advocating their right to take part in regular community life. Historically they played a huge role in de-institutionalization. However, often there was a gap between experiences of people with intellectual disabilities and the normalization principle which assumed that people with intellectual disabilities should have the right to self-determination and to a normal life.