Dear all
I welcome you all to the 12th edition of the Disability Studies Association e-newsletter (in association with the Research Institute of Health and Social Change, Manchester Metropolitan University and Breakthrough UK Ltd). Sorry for the slight delay, I was not feeling well.
Very Best Wishes
Tsitsi Chataika
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Disability Research Network e-Newsletter: March 2008 - 12th Edition
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Editor’s Comments:
Welcome to the 12th edition of the Disability Research Network e-newsletter (in association with the Research Institute of Health and Social Change, Manchester Metropolitan University and Breakthrough UK Ltd). A big thank you to all those who contributed to this edition. Please, remember to submit contributions for the next edition by latest 30th of March, 2008 so that we have the next edition on time. When submitting, please remember to use simple text version for easy accessibility. Once again, thank you for the unwaivering support.
Best Wishes
Tsitsi Chataika
Coordinator’s Comments:
Please find below the 12th e-newsletter from this newly established but expandable network. Our aims are to provide informal, off the press and informative monthly details of disability research activities, which might be of interest to audiences including disability activists, organisations of disabled people, students, researchers, policy makers, families, practitioners and local authorities.
The idea for this newsletter emerged from discussions between the Research Institute for Health and Social Change, Manchester Metropolitan University (http://www.rihsc.mmu.ac.uk/) and Breakthrough UK Ltd - a social enterprise that draws upon social model ideas to promote employment advocacy, advice, support and training to disabled people (http://www.breakthrough-uk.com/). They encouraged us to share regular information from disability research, which might inform their work. This sharing and networking links into the aims of the Disability Studies Association and, we hope, will have broader appeal (http://www.disabilitystudies.net/). This network relies, obviously, on regular monthly input. What we would like from you, if you are interested:
The details of your institution and one contact person and their email address
Monthly commitment to provide us with BRIEF information (inc. related web links) about disability research activities you and your colleagues are involved through emails each month me (you will be reminded by email). This could be no more than a few lines – and no attachments – as we want to keep it workable, informal and relatively easy to read.
To provide details on such things as news on forthcoming publications;
conferences/seminars you are attending or hosting; funding opportunities of interest to disability researchers; news from local and national government; international disability issues; stories from research; ideas for research that you would like to explore with interested others; disability studies teaching materials and resources; links to new policy and user consultation, etc …
To provide in your email information categorised in terms of your institution e.g. ‘News from the Research Institute of Health and Social Change, Manchester Metropolitan University’; ‘Activities of the
disability studies team at University of Northumbria’.
To make the email simple text without loads of formatting for ease of putting together
To posit other ideas for developing the e-newsletter - perhaps a section on 'possible future research / funding priorities' which readers might be able to link into for funding bids.
We hope you are interested.
Very best wishes,
Dan Goodley
[log in to unmask]
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Contents
1. News Manchester Metropolitan University, Research & Social Change
(a) Theorising Culture and Disability: Interdisciplinary Dialogues Review of Disability Studies Special Forum: CFP
2. News from the Editor - Tsitsi Chataika
(a) Obituary in honour of Gladys Charowa
(b) Disabled People International (DPI) Weekly Newsletter
3. News from the ‘Disability and Politics’ PSA Specialist Group
4. News from Sheffield Hallam University (a) Publication - Anti-social behaviour and disability – the response of
social landlords - Caroline Hunter,* Nick Hodge, Judy Nixon,
Sadie Parr - University of Manchester and Sheffield Hallam University
5. News from Oxford University
(a) The Life on the Autism Spectrum Project
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1. News From Manchester Metropolitan University, Research &Social Change
(a) Theorising Culture and Disability: Interdisciplinary Dialogues Review of Disability Studies Special Forum: CFP
Edited by Dan Goodley, Lucy Burke, Rebecca Lawthom, Rebecca Mallett and David Bolt, the forum will bring together activists, academics and practitioners in the multidisciplinary theorising of culture and disability, exploring the ways in which disciplines that concern themselves with the production, circulation and deconstruction of representations may have something to say to disciplines that seek to develop social policy and influence practice (in various contexts). Focusing on the role of cultural narratives in mediating and shaping the experience of disability, contributors will organise around matters such as social care and the politics of dependency. Each article will outline its perspective, apply this approach to an area of disabling society, and critically examine the possibilities and limits of its analytical procedure. The aim is to promote conversations that ask
questions about the promise and consequence of transferring certain
theoretical interrogations of 'disability' across existing divides.
Topics to be explored include:
(i) How do different disciplines and areas of cultural life allow possibilities for theorising and transforming disablism in contemporary society?
(ii) How might different contexts be used as a kind of critical irritant-a way of thinking through the limits and possibilities of interdisciplinary dialogue?
(iii) How might disability theories historically associated with one discipline be refocused and reconceived in light of another discipline?
(iv) How can the humanities and arts inform the social sciences, health and social care?
(v) What are the risks of interdisciplinary expansion of
disability theory?
The forum is linked to an event that will be held in the UK on 3 July 2008, organised by Manchester Metropolitan University's Social Change and Well Being Research Centre and the English Research Institute in association with the Journal of Literary Disability and the Cultural Disability Studies Research Network. However, proposals are welcome from people who cannot attend the MMU event.
Proposals for the RDS special forum should be sent to David Bolt before
1 May 2008. Please indicate whether or not you will be available for the MMU event.
Contact Details
Dr. David Bolt
Co-Editor, RDS Special, Theorising Culture & Disability: Interdisciplinary Dialogues.
E-Mail: [log in to unmask]
For information about Social Change and Well Being Research Centre
please contact Dan Goodley ([log in to unmask]) or Rebecca
Lawthom ([log in to unmask])
2. News from the Editor - Tsitsi Chataika
(a) Obituary in honour of Gladys Charowa
It is with great sadness to announce the untimely death of one of our emailing list members, Gladys Charowa who was the Executive Director of Disabled Women Support Organisation (Zimbabwe). Gladys suffered a stroke on the 6th of March and her health subsiquently deteriorated leading to her death on the 7th of March, 2008 in Harare, Zimbabwe.
Gladys Charowa was involved in the disability movement since February 2002 during her rehabilitation in Harare after breaking her back in a car crash in December 2001. She was released from hospital in April 2002 after experiencing the conditions tolerated by the women who were also being rehabilitated. She decided to set up the Disabled Women Support Organisation (DWSO) after helping some of the service users at the centre; for example, she successfully petitioned an education examination board to allow a student with disabilities additional time to sit her examinations. Gladys wanted to challenge the traditional view that there is nothing that can be done to support women and girls who are spinally injured.
DWSO works alongside hospitals, often in rural areas, to provide support for individuals and their families to become both physically and financially independent; this includes training to sensitise the community, peer group education and micro-finance projects. DWSO is one of the first disability organisations to have projects in each of the 10 provinces of Zimbabwe.
DWSO also works with schools, setting up Disability Clubs and projects to help children and parents to increase their understanding of the needs of disabled people.Since 2002, she worked tirelessly as a disability activist fighting for poverty reduction, particularly among disabled women. Gladys was an active disability activist at both national and international level, and contributed immensely to disability related literature. Gladys will be greatly missed in disability activism and may her soul rest in peace after working so hard for a good cause.
Some of Gladys Charowa's publications
(i) Reply to a statememt for discussion: investing in education for children with disabilities is economically not interesting
March 1, 2006 - Published by: Dutch Coalition on Disability and Development (DCDD), Available at http://www.dcdd.nl/default.asp?2905
(ii) Body blows: in the thick of Zimbabwe's current turmoil, women with disabilities face hellish prejudice, hunger and rape. Gladys Charowa bears witness.(POVERTY & GENDER)(Column) - Published in New Internationalist, November 1, 2005
(b) Disabled People International (DPI) Weekly Newsletter
The DPI produces weekly newsletters, in case some of you are not aware, of this useful resource. You can read the html version of current and past e-news archives at:
http://v1.dpi.org/lang-en /resources/newsletters
(3) News from the ‘Disability and Politics’ PSA Specialist Group!
‘Disability and Politics’ is a Specialist Group of the PSA (Political Studies Association of the UK, see www.psa.ac.uk). Swansea University will host the Annual Conference of the PSA on 1 – 3 April 2008 and the Specialist Group will be represented by two panels of papers delivered by distinguished scholars and young researchers. This is cause for celebration since the ‘Disability and Politics’ Specialist Group has only been established last year!
The papers cover a wide range of themes within the field of disability policies and politics, amongst others:
(i) Valeria Harwood (University of Wollongong): Politics and truth: Discourses of legitimation and the de-politicisation of youth citizenship
(ii) David Race (Salford University): Intellectual Disabilities - Policies, perspectives and services in seven countries - Adam's World Tour
(iii) Jennifer Clegg (Nottingham University): Precarious Personhood (co-authored with Elizabeth Murphy and Kathryn Almack)
(iv) Lisa Vanhala (Nuffield College/Oxford): Strategy choice in disability rights organizations - a theoretical re-consideration
(v) Axel Kaehne (Cardiff University): Notions of personhood and the issue of intellectual disabilities
If you are interested in contributing to the work of the group in future or would like to know more about its planned activities, contact:
Dr. Axel Kaehne, School of Medicine
WCLD, Heath Park, Cardiff, CF14 4XN
Email: [log in to unmask]
Phone: 02920 687 212.
4. News from Sheffield Hallam University
(a) Publication - Anti-social behaviour and disability – the response of
social landlords
Caroline Hunter,* Nick Hodge, Judy Nixon,
Sadie Parr - University of Manchester and Sheffield Hallam University
Abstract
This paper reports some of the findings of a review conducted by the authors for the Disability Rights Commission (DRC) on ‘Disabled people’s experiences of anti-socialnbehaviour and harassment in social housing.’ The paper focuses on two elements of the review: the impact of disability on the decision to take legal action and how policies and procedures to tackle anti-social behaviour deal with disability issues. It also briefly considers how social landlords monitor disability. It illustrates how many social landlords
may be failing to fulfil their disability equality duties imposed by the Disability
Discrimination Act 2005 when dealing with anti-social behaviour directed at or committed by disabled people.
Key words: anti-social behaviour, disability, social housing.
NB: The article has been published in People, Place & Policy Online (2007): 1/3, pp. 149-161, and can be accessed at: http://extra.shu.ac.uk/ppp-online/
(b) Asperger Syndrome: Moving Forward Together Towards Excellent Services for Young Yeople and Adults Conference - 30th June 2008
Sheffield Hallam University in partnership with Sheffield Care Trust and The University of Sheffield invites you to the Asperger Syndrome: Moving Forward Together Towards Excellent Services for Young Yeople and Adults Conference .
Time: 9:30am to 4:30pm
Location: Sheffield Hallam University, City Campus
This conference will provide a unique opportunity to consider the diverse range of services currently provided for people with Asperger Syndrome.
It will be a sharing of practice in the 21st Century and a consideration of progress still to be made.
Keynote contributors include:
Professor Digby Tantam, Dr. Nick Hodge, Sue Chantler, Dr. Linda Buchan, Christine Telford, Luke Beardon and Dr. Nicola Martin
Please contact the Conference Organiser – Tom Redfearn for further information
Phone: 0114 225 5335
E-mail: [log in to unmask]
5. News from Oxford University
The Life on the Autism Spectrum project is nearly completed and a
trailer, advertising the website, can be found at
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JeMJ4r-qq00
The project will go live in July 2008.
Contact Details
Sara Ryan
DIPEx Research Unit,
Dept of Primary Health Care, University of Oxford
Email: [log in to unmask]
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NB: A copy of this Newsletter is available at:
http://www.breakthrough-uk.com/DRN.shtml
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END OF NEWSLETTER
For any further contributions and information contact:
Tsitsi Chataika - Editor
Email: [log in to unmask]
Tel/Fax: +44113 293 8749 or +4479 03859902
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Dr Tsitsi Chataika
Tel/Fax: 0044(0)113 293 8749
Mobile: 0044 (0)79 03859902
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