Speaker
Description
This study examines Francesca Martinez’s play, All of Us by contextualizing it within the austerity policies implemented during the Conservative Party’s governance in the United Kingdom (2010-2024) and their impact on Social Care, the National Health Service (NHS) and framing these as part of social care crisis. The play, written against the backdrop of severe budget cuts and welfare reforms, serves as a critical commentary on the hardships faced by disabled individuals, who were disproportionately affected by these policies and caught within an ongoing crisis of welfare and provision. The analysis highlights how All of Us brings attention to the intersection of identity, disability, and socio-political structures, shedding light on the ways in which austerity has deepened existing inequalities. By connecting the play’s narrative to real-world consequences of the austerity measures, the study underscores the insufficiencies of the UK’s politics of care, situating them within a structural crisis of social justice, and highlighting the barriers that continue to undermine the rights of disabled people. The paper explores the portrayal of characters who, despite institutional neglect and social indifference, demonstrate resilience in the face of exclusion and bureaucratic challenges. This examination not only contributes to the discussion on disability and social policy but also emphasizes the role of art as a tool for social critique. Martinez’s All of Us compels audiences to reflect on the consequences of austerity and advocates for a more inclusive and supportive system, where the rights of disabled individuals are recognized and protected. By situating All of Us within the broader discourse on crisis and resilience, the study contributes to interdisciplinary debates on cultural representations of social crises.
| Keywords | Francesca Martinez, politics of care, austerity, NHS, resilience, contemporary British drama |
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| hagultekin@artvin.edu.tr |