Of taboos and placeholders: on the relevance of the term ‘disability’ in German institutions of higher education and higher education policy discourse

The Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) was ratified by Germany in 2009. In the same year the German Rectors’ Conference published the statement ‘A University for All, which proclaims the expansion of supportive measures for students with disabilities in order to enhance access and participation. Now, 16 years later, German institutions of higher education are still far from having achieved ‘full inclusion’. On the contrary ‐ in their observations on the status of the implementation of the CRPD in Germany the UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities expressed its concern that in the German education system inclusion had been implemented so poorly (UN, 2023: 12). Lately, the authors have observed an increase in difficulties and uncertainties in university discourses to address or name disability. Assuming that language is an important part of forming attitudes and perceptions, this article will discuss the question whether this uncertainty can be derived from the literally ‘unspeakable’ horrors of German history concerning persons with disabilities and through the special structure of the German educational system. It will further ask how these kinds of uncertainties may affect efforts on inclusion. Finally, it will make a plea for the use of clear terminology because naming the object may enable participation and it may further the development of universities into inclusive institutions.