Governing the Majority World? Critical reflections on the role of occupation technology in international contexts.

Background: Within occupational therapy, increasing attention has been focussed on international development work. However, many have critiqued the focus of knowledge development within occupational therapy and occupational science, arguing that it is focussed on Western values. Questions arise about how occupational therapy and occupational science, and the knowledge and therapeutic technologies that are associated with these communities, will affect the 'developing' world, which, recently, some have described as the Majority World.

The promise of occupational science: a developmental assessment of an emerging academic discipline.

Background: In the late 1980's, occupational science was introduced as a basic discipline that would provide a foundation for occupational therapy. As occupational science grows and develops, some question its relationship to occupational therapy and criticize the direction and extent of its growth and development.

Purpose: This study was designed to describe and critically analyze the growth and development of occupational science and characterize how this has shaped its current status and relationship to occupational therapy.