I feel constrained to comment, though I do not wish to extend the less constructive part of the discussion, on the recent line of discussion.
Madeleine, I agree with much of what you say - indeed I seem to remember saying broadly similar things in my mail. There is a lot about academia that we can address critically and as an academic I do. You are right that rigour should not be a means of promoting 'elitism' and oppression. I think academic conventions are followed to help show where knowledge is from, but I agree some academics use both them and their language to reinforce closures, and institutions are only a small step along the way of fully responding to the diverse needs of different disabled people. I do not at any time, as represented by Larry, claim academia is equal at access or in its culture or processes of operation. We do need to act to ensure these excesses are restricted.
At the same time, it does no service to let a blanket and rather careless, sweeping set of generalisations that are pathological rather than evidenced and accusatory rather than inclusive to remain unanswered, partly because it is inappropriate for that sort of statement not to be contested politically and partly because it allows stereotypes and slogans that other far less sympathetic souls use ideologically. It is that which I object to, not critical discussions about the structures and institutions of academia.
Larry, according to you, I personally am ill-informed, elitist, lacking in understanding, superior and typical of an exclusionary culture. You know nothing of me or my work or views other than probably three postings I have made on the list. These are insults, not criticisms and I am surprised the moderator has not commented. I do not claim expert knowledge of the disabilities you identify, though I would not regard myself as totally ill-informed., and there is nothing in what you say about your learning that can support these as anything other than insults intended to cause offence.
I have never claimed you to be anything, and singularly did not claim you to be intellectually inferior, and that again is a slur and an insult. What I will say, quite openly is that I feel your mail adopted an unfair position to a lot of people who are committed to equality and social justice and who try to contribute to that through academic work, and who do not deserve this misrepresentation, and a number have responded by associating with this position.
None of your claims challenge me - because there is a difference between denegrating and insulting someone and questioning them, and its not an academic distinction, and its not a disability issue. It is an issue of not pathologising people and having human respect for others that you engage with unless they act in a way that indicates contrary - issues important to all people but particularly resonant in respect of disability. It is both ironic and a pity that this is the position you choose to take.
Paul
Paul Reynolds
Senior Lecturer in Politics and Sociology
Centre for Studies in the Social Sciences
Edge Hill College
St Helens Road
Ormskirk
Lancs L394QP
Tel: 01695 584370
email: [log in to unmask]
>>> Larry Arnold <[log in to unmask]> 09/18 3:27 pm >>>
You would appear to be singularly ill informed about conditions such as
Asperger's syndrome, dyspraxia, and specific lerning difficulties.
Academics who have already made it have a head start in playing the game,
however it is not always possible for people who have an equal degree of
potential lerning capacity to play the game.
You clearly do not understand such things as exectuvie funtion issues and
the varios difficulties that some people have organising there thought in
conventional grammatical structures. You have a choice as to whether to play
the game or not, not everybody has.
You are an elitist, because you would have everyone come up to your
standards but would not bend for anyone elses.
I am as it happens returning to education after having suffered much
disadvantage in years gone by. fortunetly my academic discipline involves a
degree of practical skill in videracy I doubt you would understand.
You need to be challenged and I will continue to do it.
I can write a paper, but the medium is the message as McCluhan said, I can't
contain my words in any other style than that I am used to. Words are only
my second language.
It is your singularly superior attitude that typifies the way in which all
disabilities have been excluded in the past from deaf people who must lern
speech, to visually impaired people who are excluded from print format,
never mind those who cannot get into lecture theatres or who have been
rejected by academic institutions because they have care needs.
And what is more you are violating the accepted netiquette by failing to
appreciate the consequences of not clipping posts, so if you want me to
adapt to your environment you had better to adapt to this one here and that
goes for everyone who cares not about consuming others bandwith by leaving
there out of office messages on. !!!
Do yuo seriosly think I do not know wherof I speak or that I am you
intellectual inferior.
Larry
> -----Original Message-----
> From: The Disability-Research Discussion List
> [mailto:[log in to unmask]]On Behalf Of Paul Reynolds
> Sent: 18 September 2002 13:17
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: Call for Papers: Disability Studies: Theory, Policy and
> Practice
>
>
> Of course, there should be no sense of discrimination or abuse of
> disabled people or people who identify as different on this
> web-site. I think the context to some recent barbs, however, is
> quite instructive, because it seems that whilst there are clearly
> unacceptable pathologies and prejudices against people, insulting
> and derogatory representations of academics is just fine.
>
> Well, some of us find that unacceptable. Its not oversensitivity.
> Its having considerable commitment to what we
> study/research/teach and having it denegrated. Its being
> stereotyped and labelled with the worst parody of what it is we
> do and how it is we write. Its about the total negation of the
> idea we may be people with political and voluntary commitments
> every bit as much as those snide people who denegrate academics.
>
> This folksy 'I'm not an academic, i actually do something' really
> rather makes me sick. Most people engaged in academic
> research/study/teaching on disability also have considerable
> other commitments and work long and hard and with commitment.
> Sometimes we write in a somewhat complex way, but actually if you
> look at the area of disability studies, as with sexuality, the
> excesses of complexity from other areas are not there - much of
> what is written on disability is quite clear. We do like to know
> where people get their ideas from - hence referencing and
> bibliography. Its not pedantry or elitism, its respecting others
> efforts, wanting to learn and wanting to facilitate others
> learning. It also, incidentally, helps in arguing cases against
> those with money or decision-making power or influence, or who
> are hostile, to be able to draw on others knowledge efficiently.
>
> Academia, like all professions, like all occupations, has an
> element of a game about it, and I for one and spoken at length
> about this in public forums. Equally, disability networks,
> organisations and mailing lists are also in part games, and some
> people might reflect on their own contribution to pointless
> prejudice, misinformation and abuse, however fashionably stylised
> by a 'folksy' ' we don't need academia' approach.
>
> If this sounds angry, I am afraid i can't apologise. Some of us
> academics have worked long and hard hours to make some
> contribution to a more enlightened world - however small - and
> I'm rather sick of reading what a pointless, elitist, game
> players we academics are by people who are singularly
> ill-informed about that which they comment on.
>
>
> paul
>
>
>
>
> Paul Reynolds
> Senior Lecturer in Politics and Sociology
> Centre for Studies in the Social Sciences
> Edge Hill College
> St Helens Road
> Ormskirk
> Lancs L394QP
> Tel: 01695 584370
> email: [log in to unmask]
>
>
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