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Guess what? Anybody with an interest in doing research on any subject is free to do so. The methodologies will vary and the amount of resources expended in these endeavors will depend on personal wealth or sponsor decisions. That one doesn't approve of or like the folks who are doing the research or their sponsors causes anger and frustration. Just as freely one can choose to read or not the results of the research. No single person or entity controls all the research undertaken, the results, their acceptance by different audiences, or their application. Such are the vagaries of living in a democracy. If one wants to go elsewhere to live in a more controlled environment, there are other places on earth where freedom is curtailed. Last I saw, such places are overwhelmed with immigration--legal or illegal. --JHN -----Original Message----- From: The Disability-Research Discussion List [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Alex Lubet Sent: Tuesday, June 24, 2008 8:09 PM To: [log in to unmask] Subject: Re: who should do the research? Actually, people change sex/gender all the time. They can also change race, although that happens by moving from one location to another, where race is differently constructed. For example, a Jew who managed to escape Nazi Germany became a racially different person. Another example is the different way "Indians" are defined in the US and Bolivia (where I taught briefly). Even one great-great-great grandparent qualifies one for tribal registry as an American Indian in the US. Most Bolivians would qualify if they lived in the US (were Bolivian "tribes" registered in the US), but only people thought to be "full-blooded" are regarded as Indians in that country. One of the difficulties of "nothing about us without us" is defining "us." The women's movement has certainly experienced a great deal of fragmentation on such lines as ethnicity/race, age, and sexual orientation. About twenty years ago in the US (and doubtless elsewhere), the term "people of color" became prominent. Lately, it's being critiqued as reductive and therefore inaccurate. On this thread we're seeing a distinction between a larger disability community and smaller communities grounded in particular constructions of impairment. Matt Wappett wrote: > Just my ten cents before heading out of the office this evening: As an > academic researcher with a learning disability, I'm honestly chagrined > with the insular approach to research taken by many in this recent > discussion. Although I understand Larry's frustration, I also think > that we need to acknowledge that disability is a complex phenomenon > that lends itself to many perspectives. Although disability studies > is built upon the same theoretical foundations as women's studies and > race/cultural studies, it's important to remember that gender, race, > and culture are more concrete cultural structures than disability. I > know that I'm opening myself up to all sorts of critiques by saying > this...but I can't become, black, Asian, or even a woman; but I can > become a person with a disability...or I can acquire another > disability beyond the one I already have. We all can...the experience > of being human is the experience of becoming or fighting against > becoming disabled. Thus it seems to me that the phenomenon of > disability is an area that should be more open and accepting of a > diversity of perspectives since disability is one of the few shared > areas of human experience that cuts across age, race, gender, class, > etc. Now, I'm not arguing for the medical model here, although I > think that the medical model, despite it's patriarchal hegemonic view > of ability, has added much to what we currently understand about > disability...BUT it needs to be counterbalanced and, if possible, > superseded by a more rational view of human diversity. > > Matt > > > > Larry Arnold wrote: >> Bollox me old pal me old beauty you justify it thus, but if it were >> you who were offended I think >> you would not be so forgiving, >> >> So authentic voices always take second place because the middle class >> intelligentsia are always more >> likely to be taken seriously because they have a social contract we >> do not. >> >> That is giving in to Nanny knows best. >> >> It really stinks and you are all blind to it in your own security. >> >> How far have you travelled? And in which direction >> >> A bloody big circle I think, where you are all now the pigs who walk >> on two legs. >> >> Larry >> >>> -----Original Message----- >>> From: The Disability-Research Discussion List >>> [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of >>> [log in to unmask] >>> Sent: 24 June 2008 22:15 >>> To: [log in to unmask] >>> Subject: Re: who should do the research? >>> >>> I strongly agree with Allan on this point. >>> >>> Surely the over all point of all writing, be it articles, books, >>> movies etc is to bring about an understanding of what is going on. >>> Parents, and anyone else should be able to communicate from their >>> prospective. We should value that contribution to understanding. >>> >>> It has however to be made clear from what perspective or >>> relationship the author is coming from. >>> Keith >>> >>> >>> My new videos can been seen at >>> >>> <http://www.putfile.com/yourcamden/media> >>> <http://www.youtube.com/user/yourcamden> >>> >>> <http://www.myspace.com/kaamden> >>> >>> <http://www.veoh.com/users/yourcamden> >>> >>> >> >> ________________End of message________________ >> >> This Disability-Research Discussion list is managed by the Centre for >> Disability Studies at the University of Leeds >> (www.leeds.ac.uk/disability-studies). >> Enquiries about list administration should be sent to >> [log in to unmask] >> >> Archives and tools are located at: >> www.jiscmail.ac.uk/lists/disability-research.html >> You can VIEW, POST, JOIN and LEAVE the list by logging in to this web >> page. >> >> > -- Alex Lubet, Ph. D. Morse Alumni/Graduate & Professional Distinguished Teaching Professor Music/Jewish Studies/American Studies University of Minnesota Head Division of Composition and Theory, School of Music Director of Undergraduate Studies, Center for Jewish Studies Chair, Senate Disability Issues Committee Associate Editor, Review of Disability Studies Affiliate Professor, Center on Disability Studies, University of Hawai'i President, Hillel at the University of Minnesota ________________End of message________________ This Disability-Research Discussion list is managed by the Centre for Disability Studies at the University of Leeds (www.leeds.ac.uk/disability-studies). Enquiries about list administration should be sent to [log in to unmask] Archives and tools are located at: www.jiscmail.ac.uk/lists/disability-research.html You can VIEW, POST, JOIN and LEAVE the list by logging in to this web page. ________________End of message________________ This Disability-Research Discussion list is managed by the Centre for Disability Studies at the University of Leeds (www.leeds.ac.uk/disability-studies). Enquiries about list administration should be sent to [log in to unmask] Archives and tools are located at: www.jiscmail.ac.uk/lists/disability-research.html You can VIEW, POST, JOIN and LEAVE the list by logging in to this web page.