Hello all!
I am working on designing a course currently on the broad topic of Sex/uality
and Disability. I am at the very beginning stages of thinking about this in
any sort of focused way, though of course I have been dreaming and scheming
about doing this for a long time now. I want to offer a course on sex/uality
and disability from a disability justice framework. This means many many
things but fundamentally it means paying attention to the complex and
interconnectedness of systemic oppression, institutional/structural violence
and the meaningful effects this has on all of our lives. It means paying close
attention to the wisdom, resources, knowledges, thoughts and feelings of
marginalized communities and how we resist, survive and thrive. It means
de-centering the white supremacist, disableist, colonialist, capitalist,
patriarchy. Disability Justice, to me, means centering and prioritizing needs,
wants, care, interdependence, radical access and so much more. (for discussions
of disability justice and radical access see mia mingus’
http://leavingevidence.wordpress.com/ and aj withers’
http://still.my.revolution.tao.ca/). I want to design my course around this.
I am also excited to continue thinking about and putting into pedagogical
practice ways to challenge the many ways the academic industrial complex
participates and perpetuates so much oppression.
The vision so far is this: a 12 week 3rd year undergrad interdisciplinary
course. I am going to divide the course into four themes. Each theme will
have three classes devoted to it. The first day of the three sections will be
spent establishing some common ground, laying the groundwork, engaging with
literature (academic and non-academic), discussion, etc. The second class will
involve engaging with various forms of creative and critical cultural
productions (I am thinking re music, movies, tv shows, poetry/spoken word, art,
etc)…and literature that supports students in understanding and articulating
responses to the work and the different kinds of work these productions are
doing. For the third day students will situate themselves in relation to the
topic of focus. I am still narrowing down possible areas of focus. I know the
first one will have to be introduction.
I am in a lot of pain today cos the tilt on my wheelchair is broken so I am
having a hard time typing and articulating my thoughts right now. I had hoped
to write a lot more detail about my ideas and plans so that you lovely people
who I am asking for guidance would have more of framework to work from. I also
really just want to start chatting about this stuff and hopefully the clarity
will come with dialogue and time.
What I am looking for:
-suggestions for topics (both big and small). There will be lots of sub-topics
with in the big topics.
-suggestions for articles that would be useful for me to read with regards to
expanding my social/disability justice pedagogy.
-articles for the syllabus
-any examples of course outlines on disability and sexuality and/or disability
justice (I know that a few of you have already taught such courses. Inspire
me—ya know in the good way, not the supercrip kinda way)
-feedback?
-and I am sure other things that I can’t think of right now.
Thank you in advance for your support and time!
Loree
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