++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Disability Research Network e-Newsletter: May 2007 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Editor’s Comments: Welcome to the second edition of the Disability Research Network e-newsletter. Firstly, I am glad to introduce myself to you as your new e-newsletter editor. Let me take this opportunity to thank you very much for the exciting and informative contributions that have allowed me to put together this edition. Disability research needs people like you and all your contributions make a difference in one way or another. I therefore kindly remind you to submit contributions for the next edition to be emailed to you on 30th June 2007. The last day to receive contributions for this edition is 27th so that I can be able to put together the newsletter and email it to you on time. Once again, thank you all for the wonderful support and I wish you the best in whatever you are doing in disability research. Best Wishes Tsitsi Chataika Coordinator’s comments: Please find below the second 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 which 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 also 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 weblinks) 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. In due course, we will find consistent admin support for this project, but at least for the next couple of issues (May, June) please contact me. Very best wishes, Dan Goodley d.goodley@mmu.ac.uk +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 1. News from the Research Institute for Health and Social Change, Manchester Metropolitan University (http://www.rihsc.mmu.ac.uk/ ) a) SECOND CALL FOR PAPERS Disability, discourse and community psychology seminar – 6th July 2007 at Research Institute of Health and Social Change (RIHSC), Manchester Metropolitan University This collaboration between Manchester Metropolitan University and University of East London invites papers from colleagues who are interested in bringing together critical ideas associated with psychology and discourse in relation to disability studies. This one day seminar, which follows on from the RIHSC conference (see below), will allow for a timely bringing together of ideas from forms of radical and transformative psychology and disability studies. We envisage papers being around 15 minutes long that promote debate, consideration and flag up opportunities for further discussion and deliberation for future collaboration, whether that be through research proposals, community psychological work and / or publication. We welcome submissions from activists, practitioners, students, academics, practitioners and researchers – and combinations of the above – who are interested in furthering the radical potential of disability studies. We welcome intersections of work and activism associated with, amongst others, areas of disability politics, learning difficulties and mental health. If you are interested, please send a brief abstract (150 words maximum) to Dan Goodley (d.goodley@mmu.ac.uk) and Mark Rapley (m.rapley@uel.ac.uk) by May 1st 2007. b) extended deadline for abstract submission 2007 Annual Conference 4-5th July 2007, Health & Social Change: Challenges & Controversy. See http://www.rihsc.mmu.ac.uk/research07/Call%20for%20submissions.doc +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ News from Lancaster University and Hannah Morgan a) Free online access: Ethics & Social Welfare – The first issue is now available online, and we are offering you free access to this issue during 2007. To receive free access visit: http://www.informaworld.com/resw Ethics & Social Welfare aims to encourage dialogue and debate across social, intercultural and international boundaries on the serious ethical issues relating to professional interventions into social life, and to contribute towards deepening understandings and further ethical practice in the field of social welfare. The journal publishes articles of a critical and reflective nature concerned with the ethical issues surrounding social welfare practice and policy. It has a particular focus on social work (including practice with individuals, families and small groups), social care, youth and community work and related professions. Ethics & Social Welfare is edited by Sarah Banks (Durham University, UK), Derek Clifford (Liverpool John Moores University, UK), and Michael Preston-Shoot (University of Bedfordshire, UK), along with US based Cynthia Bisman (Bryn Mawr College, USA) Submit a Paper: Ethics & Social Welfare includes three sections which focus on full-length papers; ethical issues in practice, for shorter contributions by practitioners, service users, carers, students and others; and reviews and commentary. To read the call for papers click here: http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals/cfp/reswcfp.pdf Further Details: To receive free content alerts for each new issue visit: http://www.informaworld.com/alerting. For any further details, please contact Jennifer Roberts: jennifer.roberts@tandf.co.uk b) Society for Disability Studies 20th Annual Conference - Disability & Disability Studies: Works in Progress -  To be held on 31st May – 2nd June, 2007  at Hilton Seattle Airport, Seattle, WA A sampling of the conference program: •Beyond the West: Re-presenting Disability and Refiguring Disability Theories   in Postcolonial Literary Expressions •State of the Art, Part I: Reflecting on the Development of Disability Theatre •Queer and Crip: Heteronormative Sexuality, Partnerships and Abuse •Deaf and Disabled Peoples: Progress, Paradox & Protests •Legalities: The ADA, Disability Rights, and International Law (Please note, we have low-income and student rates available) For more information on the Joining the Society, Membership Rates and the Annual Conference, please contact us: Society for Disability Studies University of Illinois at Chicago                                                         Department of Disability and Human Development                          1640 West Roosevelt Road  (M/C 626) Chicago, IL 60608-6904 USA Phone: V/TTY (312) 996-4664 Fax: (312) 996-7443 E-mail: hammel@uic.edu Website: www.uic.edu/orgs/sds 3. News from Colin Cameron, Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh - PhD Research Student/Lecturer a) PhD research title: Nobody Likes Being Disabled, Do They? An exploration of impairment, self & identity in a disabling society PhD Research Aim: To explore tensions for disabled people in the construction of positive personal & social identities within contexts in which self-understanding is shaped both by social structural relations of inequality & unique individual experience b) Conferences: Presenting a paper entitled 'Disability Arts: Anger, Action & Affirmation' at Critical Connections: Education for Social Change International Conference, Edinburgh, 24 & 25 May 2007 c) Publications: 'The Disabled People's Movement in Britain: A Short History', Freniatria: Rivista Sperimentale, Reggio Emilia, Italy (forthcoming, Autumn 2007) 'Whose Problem? Disability Narratives & Available Identities', Community Development Journal, Special Arts Edition, Oxford (forthcoming, November 2007) d) Other related activity: Engaged as part of a team at the School of Sociology, Media & Communication at QMU in the development of a new undergraduate degree in Social Justice Studies, aiming to include a Disability Studies module. To contact Colin, email at CCameron@qmu.ac.uk 4. News from The University of Manchester - Centre for Political Theory a) Disability and Disadvantage two-day Practical Philosophy Workshop to be held on 12th – 13th May 2007 at Manchester Business School, Booth Street West, Manchester Speakers: Dan Brock (Harvard) - ‘Cost Effectiveness and Disability Discrimination’ Leslie Francis (Utah) - ‘Understanding Autonomy in Light of Intellectual    Disability' Guy Kahane (Oxford) - 'Non-identity, Self-defeat, and Attitudes to Future Children' Jeff McMahan (Rutgers) - ‘Cognitive Disability and Justice’ Julian Savulescu (Oxford) - ‘Procreative Beneficence and the New Eugenics’ Lorella Terzi (Roehampton) - ‘Vagaries in the Natural Lottery? Human Diversity, Disability, Normality and Justice’ David Wasserman (Maryland) - ‘Ethical Constraints on Allowing or Causing the Existence of People with Disabilities’ Roundtable: John Harris (Manchester), Douglas MacLean (North Carolina), Jonathan Wolff (UCL) The Arts and Humanities Research Council support this workshop Contact charlotte.jackson@manchester.ac.uk to reserve a place. Spaces are limited. 5. News from Armineh Soorenian: Calling All Disabled International Students      Are you an international student with an impairment/disability, long-term health condition and/or learning difficulty?; Would you like to talk about your life experiences in an English University?; Would you like to contribute to the disability debate in English universities? I am a disabled international student, currently studying for a PhD at the University of Leeds and I am researching disabled international students’ experiences in English universities. I am interested to hear about your experiences and your ideas on the services provided in your university, and any difficulties you have encountered during your education, with the hope of working towards a more inclusive university system in the UK.  Although I am looking at four particular universities, I am interested to hear from students from other English/UK universities, to give wider insights into international disabled students' experiences and the services that you receive at university. Your involvement in the project will include taking part in a small focus group of six to eight people of around 1 ½ hours in length, and / or an individual interview of approximately an hour’s duration.  Participation is voluntary and all participants will be given pseudonyms to safeguard their identity. To contribute to this particularly important study please contact me at the following address: {HYPERLINK "mailto:spl3a2s@leeds.ac.uk”} spl3a2s@leeds.ac.uk NB: A copy of this Newsletter is available at http://www.breakthrough-uk.com/DRN.shtml ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++              END OF NEWSLETTER For any further contributions and information, email to: t.chataika@yahoo.co.uk ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Tsitsi Chataika PhD Student University of Sheffield School of Education Tel/Fax: 0044(0)113 293 8749 Mobile:  0044 (0)79 03859902