Call for Papers
Disability Cultures and InstitutionsComparative-Institutional Perspectives
Special Issue of Comparative Sociology
Editors: Heinz-Dieter Meyer (SUNY Albany) & Justin Powell (WZB, Berlin)
Explaining the wide cross-national and cross-cultural variation in the
interpretation, recognition, and institutionalization of disability is an
important challenge for comparative sociology. Despite a widely shared
worldwide commitment to inclusion and participation, different countries
continue to exhibit disparate standards and practices in the recognition of
and support for individuals with disabilities. Yet, the vast array of
national and institutional idiosyncrasies that present themselves to the
comparativist seem to resist comprehension through traditional sociological
perspectives that focus on religion, ideology, culture, or institutional
development. At the same time, comparative sociologists have made little use
of ³grand² sociological theory that might speak to the issue of disability,
such as Eliası civilization theory, globalization and diffusion theories,
Weberıs theory of religious Weltbild-formation in the secular trend of
rationalization, Foucaultıs view of modernization as extending institutions
of discipline, or perspectives dealing with welfare-state formation.
Theoretical advances along these lines will also extend the use of sociology
in the increasingly transnational process of articulating disability
policies and restructuring educational and social service institutions. In
fact, the comparative research literature on disability remains rather
limited and in many countries policymakers are thrown back on arcane
disability models based on charity and clinical science because they lack
alternatives. Progress in these areas will depend on advances made in
developing shared indicators that are informed by dialogue between the
sociology of disability, Disability Studies and comparative-institutional
analysis. As recent debates surrounding the revised WHO international
classification (ICF) indicate, any attempts to develop universally-valid
measures for functioning, disability, and health lead to tremendous
complexities that not only defy bureaucraciesı data collection efforts but
also challenge scientific understanding.
We welcome papers that focus on comparative aspects of disability including
but not limited to culture, institutions, professions, welfare-state
regimes, opportunity structures, and social movements. Papers should also
reflect on methodological challenges and opportunities to advance the
sociological study of disability.
Please email short (300 word) abstracts of your proposed paper to the
editors. While we will field submissions until March 1, 2008, we encourage
interested authors to contact us as soon as possible.
Heinz-Dieter Meyer ([log in to unmask]); Justin Powell ([log in to unmask])
Comparative Sociology is a quarterly international scholarly journal
dedicated to advancing comparative sociological analyses of societies and
cultures, institutions and organizations, groups and collectivities,
networks and interactions. Submissions are welcome not only from
sociologists but also political scientists, legal scholars, economists,
anthropologists and others.
http://www.brill.nl/default.aspx?partid=18&pid=9998
--
Dr. Justin J.W. Powell
Senior Researcher
Social Science Research Center Berlin /
Wissenschaftszentrum Berlin für Sozialforschung (WZB)
Reichpietschufer 50
10785 Berlin, Germany
+49 30 25491 173 / 180 fax
wzb.eu/ars/aam
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