After 133 years of operation, the 2009 closure of Ontario's government-run institutions for people with intellectual disabilities has allowed accounts of those affected to emerge. Madeline Burghardt draws from narratives of institutional survivors, their siblings, and their parents to examine the far-reaching consequences of institutionalization due to intellectual difference. Beginning with a thorough history of the rise of institutions as a system to manage difference, Broken provides an overview of the development of institutions in Ontario and examines the socio-political conditions leading to families' decisions to institutionalize their children. Through this exploration, other themes emerge, including the historical and arbitrary construction of intellectual disability and the resulting segregation of those considered a threat to the well-being of the family and society; the overlap between institutionalization and the workings of capitalism; and contemporaneous practices of segregation in Canadian history, such as Indian residential schools. Drawing from people's direct, lived experiences, the second half of the book gathers poignant accounts of institutionalization's cascading effects on family relationships and understandings of disability, ranging from stories of personal loss and confusion to family breakage. Adding to a growing body of work addressing Canada's treatment of historically marginalized peoples, Broken exposes the consequences of policy based on socio-political constructions of disability and difference, and of the fundamentally unjust premise of institutionalization.

Madeline C. Burghardt teaches disability studies at King’s College at the University of Western Ontario.

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“By choosing to prioritize the experiences of those institutionalized, Burghardt is able to highlight histories that are rarely able to be told. While it is obvious that this book also contributes to the histories of childhood, family, and medicine, I would also recommend it to those who study the creation of “normal” during the Cold War era. This is a strong first book, and I look forward to seeing what Burghardt does with her next project.” Ontario History

"Burghardt illuminates the vastly divergent perspectives of those who experienced institutionalization, and the role of power in shaping these experiences, ultimately finding that those with the least power suffered the most extensive negative effects and experienced institutionalization as an oppressive force. A thoughtful and well-developed study." Allison Carey, Shippensburg University

“A high-quality, thoughtful contribution to disability studies, Burghardt’s work brings multiple analytical frames of intersectionality to bear on the institutionalization of disabled people in Ontario and surfaces many questions that could be the subject of further historical investigations.” Canadian Bulletin of Medical History

“A must-read for scholars of disability studies and institutional history, as well as anyone interested in disability policy, oral history and memory studies, and the role of scholarship and truth-telling in achieving social justice." Nursing History Review

"This is an excellent book on an important topic. The writing is clear and approachable, the research is comprehensive, and the analysis insightful. Burghardt presents a compelling narrative, bringing in broader social contexts and themes." Deborah Stienstra, University of Guelph

"The reading of this book leaves the reader with a sense of the haunted past and of stories that will never be completely told. Recommended." Choice

“In Broken: Institutions, Families, and the Construction of Intellectual Disability, Madeline Burghardt tackles the complex legacy of institutionalization head-on, centering the lived experiences of survivors and their families while challenging received narratives of institutional history. Interweaving historical data, critical theory, and survivor accounts, Burghardt skillfully offers readers a rich monograph that is both thoughtful and provocative.” Disability Studies Quarterly