This landmark text challenges occupational therapists to more fully realize the profession's social vision of a more just society where disability, old age, and other marginalizing conditions and experiences are addressed by involving people in helping themselves to (re)gain the capacity and power to construct their own destinies through their participation in daily life. The book explores the new concept of occupational apartheid - the separation between those who have meaningful, useful occupations and those who are deprived of or isolated from occupation, or who are otherwise constrained in their daily life. All royalties from this book will go to a special fund that support the initiatives of SPIRIT OF SURVIVORS - Occupational Therapy Without Borders. Companion volume also available - Occupational Therapies without Borders Volume 2: towards an ecology of occupation-based practice (9780702031038) links philosophy with practical examples of engaging people in the ordinary occupations of daily life as a means of enabling them to transform their own lives rather than remain dependant and marginalized allows the voices of survivors to be heard includes contributions from worldwide leaders in occupational therpy research and practice describes concrete initiatives in under-served and neglected populations questions generally accepted assumptions and key concepts of the profession looks at social and political mechanisms that influence people's access to useful and meaningful occupation