Between Harmony and Difference: Accessibility Under Chinese Collectivism

Abstract

This paper examines how collectivist ideology shapes the definition and practice of accessibility in contemporary China. Despite the expansion of national accessibility standards and disability policies in recent years, many disabled people continue to encounter environments and technologies that are formally compliant but difficult to use in everyday life. Drawing on policy documents, academic research, media reports, and community-based observations, I analyze how collectivist assumptions about unity, labor, and standardized participation help structure disability governance across three domains: education systems, public infrastructure, and assistive technologies. I argue that accessibility is frequently assessed through installation and regulatory compliance rather than through disabled people’s lived experiences, resulting in infrastructures and technologies that signal inclusion without enabling independent use. By examining experiences within Deaf, blind, and DeafBlind communities, this paper highlights the persistent gap between accessible policy and accessible life. At the same time, it suggests that collectivist frameworks of collective responsibility hold the potential to support more inclusive access when disabled people are recognized as active collaborators in policymaking and design. Viewed through this lens, accessibility in China reflects both meaningful progress and enduring structural limits.