Reminder: next DRF seminar 14th March starring Mitzi Waltz and Jonathan Harvey

A quick reminder that the next DRF will be on Thursday 14th March, 2pm-4pm in Arundel 10111. After the seminar many of us will be making our way up to the University of Sheffield for Dan Goodley’s inaugural lecture at The University of Sheffield (more details here - please note the separate locations of these two events). Presenting this month will be:

Slot 1: Mitzi Waltz (Sheffield Hallam University, UK): Autism and Economic Disempowerment

Slot 2: Jonathan Harvey (The Open University, UK) Insider/outsider status: negotiating the complexity of life

See here for more details (and scroll down to March).

Venue: The seminar will be held in the Arundel Building, 122 Charles Street, City Campus, Sheffield Hallam University, S1 1WB.  For a map of City Campus click here.

If you, or anybody you know, would like to present at a DRF seminar please do get in touch.  Alternatively, let us know if there is an issue/article/book you’d like to facilitate a round table discussion on.

Even if you do not intend to present, feel free to come along, listen and share your thoughts.   For lunchtime slots, please feel free to bring your own food and drink.

We aim to be accessible and have produced some guidelines of which we would like presenters to be mindful – these can be accessed here: Accessible Presenting

To offer to present, facilitate a discussion or for more detailed access information please contact: Rebecca Mallett: r.mallett@shu.ac.uk or 0114 225 4669 or Jenny Slater: j.slater@shu.ac.uk or 0114 225 6691.

Reminder of the next DRF themed seminar: Youth and Disability, Wednesday 9th Jan, 12-2

A reminder that the next DRF seminar will be on Wednesday 9^th January 2013 12pm-2pm in Arundel 10111.The theme of this seminar is ‘Youth and Disability’.

Slot 1: Jenny Slater (Department of Education, Childhood and Inclusion, Sheffield Hallam University, UK): “You’re not, I mean… I know you’re not, but I have to ask, you’re not… sexually active, are you?” Youth, disability, sexuality.

Abstract:

The quote I use to frame this paper comes out of my PhD research with young disabled people. It captures the troubled and troubling response that Molly, a young disabled woman, received from a doctor when requesting the contraceptive pill on sporting grounds. Furthermore, it illustrates the dangerous tying of disability to a discourse of asexuality; a discourse which works to sustain the positioning of disabled people’s bodies as a) childlike (Hall, 2011), b) asexual (Garland-Thomson, 2002; Liddiard, 2012), and c) the property of others, to be subject to intervention (Barton, 1993; McCarthy, 1998). For young disabled people, particularly young women, this is dangerous. In this paper I share more stories from my fieldwork in order to work through messy discourses of youth, disability and sexuality.  I use these stories to question Disability Studies and, to a lesser extent, popular media normalisation of issues concerning disability, disabled youth, gender and sexuality, stressing the importance of transdisciplinary conversation.

Slot 2: Ezekiel Isanda Oweya: (Centre for Rehabilitation Studies, University of Cape Town, South Africa): Experiences of African disabled youth living in rural Rift Valley to find and sustain livelihoods

 

Venue: The seminar will be held in the Arundel Building, 122 Charles Street, City Campus, Sheffield Hallam University, S1 1WB.  For a map of City Campus click here.

If you, or anybody you know, would like to present at a DRF seminar please do get in touch.  Alternatively, let us know if there is an issue/article/book you’d like to facilitate a round table discussion on.

Even if you do not intend to present, feel free to come along, listen and share your thoughts.   For lunchtime slots, please feel free to bring your own food and drink.

We aim to be accessible and have produced some guidelines of which we would like presenters to be mindful – these can be accessed here: Accessible Presenting

To offer to present, facilitate a discussion or for more detailed access information please contact: Rebecca Mallett: r.mallett@shu.ac.uk or 0114 225 4669 or Jenny Slater: j.slater@shu.ac.uk or 0114 225 6691.

Reminder of next DRF Seminar: Welcoming the UG-DRF and Katherine Runswick-Cole

A reminder that the next DRF seminar will be next Tuesday 18th December 2012 2.00pm – 3.30pm.

The first half of the session will welcome Michelle Darby and Lucia Coello-Lage from our new Undergraduate DRF, before Katherine Runswick-Cole (Research Institute of Health and Social Change, Department of Psychology, Manchester Metropolitan University) will give a paper on:

Title: (Neuro)diversity: Pros and cons for (neoliberal) social policy

Abstract: This paper sets out to explore the term ‘neurodiversity’ and to examine the potential and limitations of ‘a politics of neurodiversity’ (Singer, 1999) in a neoliberal social policy context.  This work in progress seeks to problematise the notions of neurodiversity and neo-liberal social policy and to explore the possibilities of a politics of dismodernity (Davis, 2003).

Venue: Room 10212 in the Arundel Building, City Campus, Sheffield Hallam University (More information on the venue can be found here).

There are still slots available in to present in 2013, so if you, or anybody you know, would like to present at a DRF seminar please do get in touch.  Alternatively, let us know if there is an issue/article/book on which you’d like to facilitate discussion.  Please email Jenny Slater: j.slater@shu.ac.uk

The Launch of the Undergraduate Disability Research Forum

We’re excited to annouance that tomorrow will see the launch of Sheffield Hallam’s Undergraduate Disability Reseach Forum (UG-DRF). As a sister project running alongside the DRF, UG-DRF will provide a space for undergraduates involved in and/or interested in Disability Research to share, discuss and receive feedback on their own disability research.

Rebecca Mallett and Jenny Slater, along with third year Education and Disability Studies students, Michelle Darby and Lucia Coello-Lage, will chair the first meeting on Tuesday 4th December 2012 which will involve third year Education Studies Students sharing their disability-focused dissertation research ideas, ‘speed dating’ style!

The second UG-DRF event will be with a DRF session on December 18^th 2012 where Michelle and Lucia will talk about their own research. This seminar will also welcome Katherine Runwick-Cole to speak on (Neuro)diversity: Pros and cons for (neoliberal) social policy. For more on this session click here.

Watch this space for more on the UG-DRF.

There are still slots available in to present in 2013, so if you, or anybody you know, would like to present at a DRF seminar please do get in touch.  Alternatively, let us know if there is an issue/article/book on which you’d like to facilitate discussion.  Please email Jenny Slater: j.slater@shu.ac.uk

Next DRF Seminar: Katherine Runswick-Cole, Tuesday 18th December, 2pm-3.30pm (followed by Christmas tea!)

We’re very excited to welcome back the fabulous Katherine Runswick-Cole (Research Institute of Health and Social Change, Department of Psychology, Manchester Metropolitan University), after which we’ll be heading out for a christmassy bite to eat. Come join us!

Date/Time: Tuesday 18th December 2012 2.00pm – 3.30pm

Venue: Room 10212 in the Arundel Building, City Campus, Sheffield Hallam University (More information on the venue can be found here)

Title: (Neuro)diversity: Pros and cons for (neoliberal) social policy

Abstract: This paper sets out to explore the term ‘neurodiversity’ and to examine the potential and limitations of ‘a politics of neurodiversity’ (Singer, 1999) in a neoliberal social policy context.  This work in progress seeks to problematise the notions of neurodiversity and neo-liberal social policy and to explore the possibilities of a politics of dismodernity (Davis, 2003).

 

There are still slots available in to present in 2013, so if you, or anybody you know, would like to present at a DRF seminar please do get in touch.  Alternatively, let us know if there is an issue/article/book on which you’d like to facilitate discussion.  Please email Jenny Slater: j.slater@shu.ac.uk

CFP: Get involved in the 2012-13 Disability Research Forum Seminar Series

The DRF is looking for people to present as part of it’s 2012-13 seminar series.  The dates are as follows:

DRF Seminar Schedule 2012-2013

 1.                  18th December 2012 (Tues) 2pm-3.30pm

Katherine Runswick-Cole(Research Institute of Health and Social Change, Department of Psychology, Manchester Metropolitan University):  (Neuro)diversity: pros and cons for (neoliberal) social policy

This paper sets out to explore the term ‘neurodiversity’ and to examine the potential and limitations of ‘a politics of neurodiversity’ (Singer, 1999) in a neoliberal social policy context.  This work in progress seeks to problematise the notions of neurodiversity and neo-liberal social policy and to explore the possibilities of a politics of dismodernity (Davis, 2003).

Followed by Christmas Tea!

2.                 9^th January 2013 (Weds) 12pm-2pm, Arundel 10111

Slot 1: Jenny Slater (Department of Education, Childhood and Inclusion): “You’re not, I mean… I know you’re not, but I have to ask, you’re not… sexually active, are you?” Youth, disability and sexuality

Slot 2: TBC

3.                 13^th February 2013 (Weds) 4.30pm-6pm, Arundel 10212

Dan Goodley (Department of Education, Sheffield University): What is critical disability studies?

4.                 11^th March 2013 (Mon) 11am-1pm, Arundel 10111

Slot 1: TBC

Slot 2: TBC

5.                 15th April 2013 (Mon) 11am-1pm, Arundel 10111

Slot 1: TBC

Slot 2: TBC

More information on specific seminars will be announced shortly.

If you, or anybody you know, would like to present at a DRF seminar please do get in touch.  Alternatively, let us know if there is an issue/article/book on which you’d like to facilitate discussion.  Please email Rebecca Mallett: r.mallett@shu.ac.uk. More information on the venue can be found here and we’d like to take this opportunity to remind all presenters of the Accessible Presenting Info here.  We look forward to productive and engaging discussions ahead.

Rod Michalko and Tanya Titchkosky Come to Town

On one autumnal October evening, in a room full to capacity, over 45 interested individuals – including academics from various faculties and Disabled Student Support staff, Sheffield Hallam University; academics from the University of Sheffield, members of autism and disability communities – came together, in wisdom and wonder, to explore ‘disability’ with Tanya Titchkosky and Rod Michalko (University of Toronto, Canada).  

Below is an account of the day written by Helen Gibbons, a third year student on our BA (Hons) Education and Disability Studies. She recounts the evening seminar (part of the Education Research Seminar Series) as well as the afternoon class Rod and Tanya attended.

Rod Michalko and Tanya Titchkosky Come to Town ~ by Helen Gibbons

On Tuesday 16th October we (the third year BA (Hons) Education and Disability Studies students at Sheffield Hallam University) were extremely lucky to be given the opportunity to meet Rod Michalko and Tanya Titchkosky. Since starting the course three years ago we have read different journal articles, books and reviews written by Rod and Tanya so to meet them in person was a real treat.

During the day, Rod and Tanya attended our Critical Disability Studies module session where we were given the opportunity to chat, discuss and ask questions regarding their professional and, in some cases, personal experiences of living with an impairment and how they are “accepted” in society. During this session I became inspired at how amazing and influential these two individuals are by expressing and sharing their views of impairment and disability within society. During the session, I know I am not alone in saying, I learnt, understood and viewed a number of different ideas and theories through a fresh approach thanks to their brilliant explanations and examples. The highlights include…

• “Different words have different meanings” Rod Michalko
• “The one thing that interests me more than blindness is sight and eyes are used for a lot more than just seeing” Rod Michalko
• Disability is the assumption that everyone knows what it means, in many cases broken/abnormal. “We’ve been protected against the term disability” as “Disability is seen as a problem” Tanya Titchkosky
• “What we see isn’t necessarily correct” Tanya Titchkosky

In the evening Rod offered an examination of the ‘expert’ while Tanya offered suggestions on what a disability studies perspective could offer a critical study of education.  In her newest piece of work, “Towards a Politics of Wonder”, Tanya described an experience where a group of people weren’t considered during a fire evacuation and how a number of obstacles caused many of the individuals involved to be put at unnecessary danger. This lead to many interesting and eye opening views and theories including…

• by not recognising and supporting people with disabilities we are adding and increasing dangers
• it isn’t a lack of awareness, the fire fighters involved had been trained and given procedures and ways of supporting people in such situations but this is often interpreted as “it’s such a problem, it is easier to stay away” Tanya Titchkosky

To conclude I feel that the opportunity has been extremely useful and many of the theories, views and experiences shared and discussed will stay with me for many years to come. The messages I received from Rod and Tanya have not only been extremely useful and assisted with my academic work but they have also assisted and made me view disability and the “problems” differently. This has been evident through the practical aspect of things. When working in a Special Needs school, when being out in the general public and while spending time planning and developing my career I have been able to view things differently by some of the extremely useful discussions with Rod and Tanya.

I found Rod and Tanya’s seminar so influential that I have since set my heart on becoming a Disability Studies lecturer within a University just like them. It has enabled me to see just how much is possible and how disability is still seen as a “problem” when it really doesn’t have to be.

Thank You.

REMINDER: DRF Seminar: Fri. 25th May 2012 (Sheffield, UK)

Date/Time: Fri. 25th May 2012 (Friday) 1.00pm – 2.30pm

Venue: Room 10212 in the Arundel Building, City Campus, Sheffield Hallam University (More information on the venue can be found here.) ***Please note the change to our usual room***

Join us for:

Everything about us without us: the struggle of disability activists for Independent Living in Iceland

Embla Ágústsdóttir, chairwoman of the independent living cooperative in Iceland (NPA miðstöðin), embla@npa.is

&

Freyja Haraldsdóttir, directress, of the independent living cooperative in Iceland (NPA miðstöðin), freyja@npa.is

Chair: Jenny Slater

Abstract: Iceland is one of the countries that lacks policy and practice for personal assistance and independent living for disabled people. A user-led cooperative on personal assistance was founded by 33 disabled citizens in Iceland in 2010, who have since been fighting for the recognition of personal assistance as a way in providing services.

The government decided in the beginning of 2011 to start a three-year pilot project following the transference of services for disabled people from the state to the municipalities. This pilot project has been delayed but is in its first stages and will be ongoing until the end of year 2014 when personal assistance is supposed to become a legal right.

In this presentation we want to shed some light on the struggle for independent living in Iceland. We want to share our experience on how this process has developed from the viewpoint of disability activists and how we have experienced the need to fight for our involvement and having a voice, even when it comes to working with disability organizations and the academia.

Is, after all, everything about us supposed to be without us?

Please feel free to circulate and hope to see you there!

Event: DRF ‘Encore’ Seminar: 25th May 2012 (Sheffield, UK)

The final DRF seminar of the 2011-12 academic year is scheduled for tomorrow (3rd May 2012)  and we are pleased to announce that there will be an encore.

Date/Time: Fri. 25th May 2012 (Friday) 1.00pm – 2.30pm

Venue: Room 10212 in the Arundel Building, City Campus, Sheffield Hallam University (More information on the venue can be found here.) Please note the change to our usual room.

Join us for:

Everything about us without us: the struggle of disability activists for Independent Living in Iceland

Embla Ágústsdóttir, chairwoman of the independent living cooperative in Iceland (NPA miðstöðin), embla@npa.is

&

Freyja Haraldsdóttir, directress, of the independent living cooperative in Iceland (NPA miðstöðin), freyja@npa.is

Iceland is one of the countries that lacks policy and practice for personal assistance and independent living for disabled people. A user-led cooperative on personal assistance was founded by 33 disabled citizens in Iceland in 2010, who have since been fighting for the recognition of personal assistance as a way in providing services.

The government decided in the beginning of 2011 to start a three-year pilot project following the transference of services for disabled people from the state to the municipalities. This pilot project has been delayed but is in its first stages and will be ongoing until the end of year 2014 when personal assistance is supposed to become a legal right.

In this presentation we want to shed some light on the struggle for independent living in Iceland. We want to share our experience on how this process has developed from the viewpoint of disability activists and how we have experienced the need to fight for our involvement and having a voice, even when it comes to working with disability organizations and the academia.

Is, after all, everything about us supposed to be without us?

Please feel free to circulate.

Getting Involved in the DRF…

The Disability Research Forum (DRF) will soon be entering its seventh year and is establishing itself as a significant international network of researchers (independent and those allied to particular education institutions or NGOs ) as well as anybody who has a committed interest in all things related to the study of disability and impairment. 

We thought we’d share with you some of the many ways to get involved, raise your profile and generally big up disability studies…

Our People Page

We have members from within the UK and beyond, including countries such as Canada, Kenya and Botswana.  As it is the diversity of its members which makes the DRF such a vibrant and interesting space, please consider adding your details to our People page.  If your details are already on there, please double-check they are up-to-date.  Any additions or changes can be sent to Rebecca Mallett (r.mallett@shu.ac.uk)

Recent additions include:

Nadia Ahmed: nadia.ahmed@qmul.ac.uk – PhD Research Student, School of Business and Management, Queen Mary University of London, UK. Nadia’s research focuses on practicable working environments for disabled academics in UK based universities. She is also the president of the Ability Society at Queen Mary University of London.

Nick Chown: nick@chown.fsbusiness.co.uk – PhD Student and Associate Lecturer, Faculty of Development and Society, Sheffield Hallam University, UK.  Nick’s doctoral research focused on language methods and language-games in autism.  His previous research interests have included barriers to learning for students with autism in further education, and autism awareness and understanding in the UK police service.  He is currently investigating the use of email as an autism-friendly interviewing tool.

Harriet Cooper: harriet.aj.cooper@googlemail.com – MPhil/PhD Researcher, Department of English and Humanities, Birkbeck College, University of London, UK. Her MA dissertation, entitled ‘The Ideal of Self-sufficiency and the Physically Disabled Subject in Contemporary Anglo-American Culture’, drew on ideas from cultural theory, disability studies, gender studies and psychoanalysis. Her PhD research explores the rise of the notion of the ‘normal child’ in Anglo-American culture and its impact on cultural constructions of the physically impaired child.

Alice Mathers: a.mathers@sheffield.ac.uk – Research Associate, Department of Landscape, Sheffield University, UK. Alice’s work is driven by an interdisciplinary approach to people-environment interactions, which straddles the academic boundaries of landscape architecture, planning, sociology, disability studies, human geography and environmental psychology. Her research with disabled people seeks to challenge current professional, academic and societal constraints that inhibit the involvement of underrepresented communities. Click here for profile.

Our Publications Page

An important part of the DRF is keeping each other up to date with the latest research and scholarly activity surrounding the study of disability.  Please consider adding your recent (or forthcoming) publications to our Publications Page.  If your details are already on there, please double-check any ‘forthcoming’ entries and send the correct details upon publication.  Any updates or additions can be sent to Rebecca Mallett (r.mallett@shu.ac.uk)

DRF Seminar Series

Details of the next seminar are below.  We will be shortly announcing dates for 2012-13 so watch this space if you would like to present a paper in an upcoming seminar.  (Please note: There is currently a slot available for the seminar on 3rd May 2012 (Thurs) 2pm-4pm. If you could and would like to fill this slot please get in touch asap.)

Date/Time: 18th April 2012 (Weds) 1pm-3pm

Venue: Room 10111 in the Arundel Building, City Campus, Sheffield Hallam University (More information on the venue can be found here.)

Slot 11: Will Southwell-Wright (Department of Archaeology, University of Durham): Past Perspectives: What can Archaeology offer to Disability Studies?

Slot 12: Tom Campbell (School of Sociology and Social Policy, University of Leeds): Bio-politics, resistance and the social model of disability

Further details (including abstracts) are available here.