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Dear Colleauges I agree with Kudzai. At times we unconciously use the term disability in place of impairment; unfortunately, this causes confusion to the disability studies discourse, as well as to policy makers, who are also struggling (if at all), to understand disability debates. The issue of limited opportunities for disabled people is a lived reality as Kudzai has indicated. Unless we all come together as disability researchers, disability activists and all other allies; and challenge the statusquo, it will be take a century, if not more to level the playing field. In terms of research; I have always argued that doing disability research without the people that experience the researched phenomenon is unacceptable. Hence, as researchers, disabled people should be partners in research; not just backyard partners, but a 'marriage of commitment' should be fostered. This also includes conducting research that is meant to benefit global south citizens. We cannot continue to engage in the colonial mentality where research is only dictacted by those from the North. Unfortunately, I have seen many research bids where the funder categorically indicates that that the principal investigator has to be residing in either UK or USA, and this makes me ask: "Can we not get principal investigators from the global south?" Personally, I have conducted some disability studies, with high impact as I clearly understand why research is important to change policy environments in Africa, but at the same time, not undermining her indegineous knowledge systems. I have always questioned reseachers who do not measure the tangible impact of their research - particularly within marginalised communities. The impact can always be measured by the intended beneficiaries when they are also partners in this exercise. I have practical examples of the A-PODD project that saw me working with DPOs in Uganda and Sierra Leone and how, as a critical mass, we managed to influence the policy environent, particularly in Uganda when disability issues were included the country's National Development Plan after our intervention. This is only possible when researchers not only go to research environments to collect data and establish their names through publications, and get professorships; but when they intervene in changing policy environments as they conduct their studies. So, the take home message is: "Never leave the researched environment the same way you found it when you first entred". Kudzai, we will continue the stuggle for a better Zimbabwe together, lets join hands and make our country the place we want it to be! By the way; this year's theme of the Day of the African Child on the 16th June is 'Children with disabilities" - We are planning a national television programme in Zimbabwe that broadcasted. So, other fellow Africans and genuine Global North partners, lets do something to promote the disabled African child on the 16th June in partnership with disabled people. Together we will make this world a better place to live. Tsitsi Chataika On 09/06/2012, Gordon C. Cardona <[log in to unmask]> wrote: > Dear all, > > I feel I must thank all of you have replied me on the list or via my > personal email. All your comments proved useful in addressing my concerns > and to re-think my own position within disability research in the various > roles I have played - research subject and, later, that of researcher. In > some way, this has made me aware of the problems that both roles present to > us as individuals. For, inasmuch as we try, we can never fully detach > ourselves from our position within a particular context. > > However, I think that the role of disabled people within the research > process, especially within emancipatory research, remains central. Indeed, > ideally disabled people should not only participate and be involved in the > process of research but actually be conducting the research themselves. Yet, > as some of you pointed out, this is not free from its dilemmas. For how I > define myself as a disabled person will vary from another disabled person > who wishes to be defined as "normal"? In this sense, must the disabled > person define him/herself in a particular political language to be truly > 'disabled' or representative of disabled people? > > As a researcher, there is the danger that, even if you identify yourself as > 'disabled by society', you run the risk of downplaying the views of those > also defined by society as 'disabled' but who don't look at their situation > in such terms. There is also the danger that by representing the voices of > disabled people, researchers may take it onto themselves to become the > defenders of disabled people to the extent that they even perceive disabled > activists who dare speak for themselves as a threat to their status or > position. It's like a 'holier than thou' attitude you find amongst some > 'religious' types. Once again, by taking over the role of spokesperson for > the cause of disabled people, a researcher may in fact become, as Larry > would term it, a "colonizer". And the risk of presuming that you are right > and the only true voice of disabled people becomes greater if you are a > disabled person with visible impairments. > > However, I find a certain resolution to counter the risks posed by the > relationship between disability research/researcher. And that is to ensure > that you take care to let go of the need to be the centre of the research > process but serve instead of a mediator, or translator, and sincerely > attempt to represent the voices of those who you are claiming to represent. > As I read from other papers on the subject of emancipatory disability > research, such research is not meant to be a project that ends there. > Rather, it's a process and, indeed, the 'project' might be only the first > step to achieve the transformational power of emancipatory research. > > While we cannot severe ourselves from our background or roots as researcher > - whether we identify as disabled or not - our role should be, I think, > twofold. > > On the one hand, we must strive to present the voices of disabled people in > a way that is in conformity with the practice within sociological research. > > On the other, we must keep in mind that any commitment we might have to the > cause of the disability movement cannot come before the actual and reality > that is expressed by disabled participants . > > In this sense, I feel that if I continue contributing to disability activism > and as a researcher, I need to let go of the need to usurp the voices of > disabled people who I seek to represent, but rather take this as an > opportunity to further empower other disabled people and encourage other > disabled people to find value in their life and to enjoy a better quality of > life. That is, I believe what emancipation is all about. That is, I think, > what disability activism should be all about. > > Best, > Gordon > > > > > > > Gordon C. Cardona > BA Hon. (Malta), MA (Leeds) > --------------------------- > Contact Info > Email: [log in to unmask] > Web: http://www.gordongd.com/ > Join me on Twitter @ http://twitter.com/#!/GordonGT > Join me on FaceBook @http://www.facebook.com/gordongt > > “If you want to be happy, practice compassion. > If you want others to be happy, practice compassion” > HH The 14th Dalai Lama (6 July 1935 - present) > > On 01 Jun 2012, at 16:49, Gordon C. Cardona wrote: > Dear all, > When I became involved in disability research, I wasn’t unsure of what I was > getting involved in. I have met a lot of people from various fields of life, > some of which were academics or professionals. While I don’t claim to be an > “experienced academic” in the field of disability studies, I felt a certain > unease to realise that the vast majority, with few notable exceptions, were > non-disabled. > > While, there’s no denying that there has been a lot of valuable and useful > research conducted by non-disabled people researchers who practice the > objectives of conducting emancipatory disability that yields practical > improvements in our life as disabled people, the lack of disabled > researchers is, indeed, anomalous. Granted, this may be simply my perception > but, unfortunately, those people who should “own” this research and, > ideally, conduct it themselves remain absent from much of the research > process. > > This prompts me to ask why disabled people as researchers is fairly limited > and, unlike other disciplines such as feminist studies, the group of > interest is in the minority and has, in effect, little or no clear control. > Here, I am not denying that efforts are being made to increase the number of > disabled academics engaging in emancipatory and related disability research. > I know, because I have benefited from such an opportunity with the > University of Leeds. > > Yet, I beg the questions: > > To what extent does disability research which purports to be “emancipatory” > can end up being a source of further oppression and alienation of disabled > people? > > To what extent dubious research can enforce negative attitudes or > stereotypes? > > To what extent does disability research conducted by non-disabled people > actually representing the views of disabled participants who are took part > in the research? > > How far can disability research go until it becomes exploitative rather than > empowering? > > Why are disabled people largely absent (it seems) from actual involvement > in disability research and emancipatory disability research in particular? > > And, perhaps the most controversial question: > > Can we have disability research without the active involvement of disabled > people throughout the research process (not just in the data collection > phase)? > > I am putting these questions out there because as I’m currently going > through compiling a report we conducted locally, I find myself asking > whether I may be, indeed ‘hijacking’ the voices of participants in the > process of interpreting the data. And, even if I’m a disabled person myself, > whether I risk imposing my own values about disability and my identity as a > disabled person within the interpretation of results. > > Hope to read your comments/opinions. > > Best, > Gordon > Gordon C. Cardona > BA Hon. (Malta), MA (Leeds) > --------------------------- > Contact Info > Email: [log in to unmask] > Web: http://www.gordongd.com/ > Join me on Twitter @ http://twitter.com/#!/GordonGT > Join me on FaceBook @http://www.facebook.com/gordongt > > “If you want to be happy, practice compassion. > If you want others to be happy, practice compassion” > HH The 14th Dalai Lama (6 July 1935 - present) > > > ________________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. > -- Dr Tsitsi Chataika Lecturer, Department of Educational Foundations University of Zimbabwe Faculty of Education P.O. Box MP167, Mt Pleasant Harare, Zimbabwe Cell: +263 774 429 687 *Quote: It is not enough to be busy; so are the ants. The question is: what are we busy about? - Henry David Thorea* ________________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.