Functional dissidence, a proposal from the South to rethink disability
This article seeks to approach an initial definition of the concept of functional dissidence, which emerged in the context of the struggles of the social movement of people with disabilities in Chile from 2018 to date. We are two functional dissidents who have been part of those struggles and ventured into the labyrinths of conceptualization from a politically situated perspective, to differentiate ourselves from the neoliberal paradigms of independent living and inclusion, aiming at the heart of capitalist individualism. We call for a counter-hegemonic posture based on interdependence, which in the face of neoliberal discourse proposes a dissident autonomy, founded on the community as a horizon of meaning, where the ethics of care constitutes a central axis for social coexistence. After outlining a preliminary definition for this new concept, some open questions and topics to be addressed in future experiences and research are noted.