Abstract
In Switzerland, polio was eradicated in 1989; however, individuals infected with the virus in the 1940s and 1950s are still alive today. Decades after their infection, many polio survivors were subsequently affected by post-polio syndrome (PPS) – a cluster of long-term consequences from the initial virus leading to further disabling symptoms. During the course of their lives, they had to deal with their changing bodies and, consequently, changing needs in a fluctuating social environment. They have engaged in citizenship projects by having to articulate their bodies in contradictory ways to negotiate the Swiss welfare system and to become rights-bearing citizens. By analysing their different citizenship projects, the article focuses on the multiple roles the body plays in this process. Using ethnographic data, the article analyses how the body is articulated to claim disability-related citizenship rights by looking at issues of work, disability activism and, finally, PPS in old age.
Rickli, Francesca