Disability Studies as Theory & Practice

Friday, November 20, 2015 from 9am-4pm
The Graduate Center, City University of New York
365 5th Avenue, 9th Floor, Skylight Room

This one-day conference of CUNY-affiliated scholars will bring together faculty, graduate students, and staff from every part of the University to discuss ongoing research and teaching and to celebrate the wealth of CUNY-based dis​​ability scholarship. The theme and format are intended to foster interdisciplinary, cross-campus networking and collaborations as well as promoting discourse and projects between those doing practical and theoretical disability work. Continental breakfast and lunch will be provided.

Organizers: Mariette Bates, William Ebenstein, Julia Miele Rodas

Program

8am-9am: Coffee & Breakfast

9am-9:30am: Welcoming remarks

Mariette Bates, Academic Director, Disability Studies Programs, CUNY School of Professional Studies
Julia Miele Rodas, Associate Professor of English, Bronx Community College

10am-noon: Discipline & Scholarly Area Discussion Groups

Morning discussion sessions will be organized according to primary scholarly interest and expertise. These groups will create an opportunity for disability scholars from different CUNY colleges and programs to meet, discuss ongoing research, talk about their experience teaching disability, weigh shared and disparate challenges, and to consider possible joint projects or micro-organizing.

Moderators: Sarah Chinn (English), David Connor (Education), Jack Levinson (Sociology), Susan Longtin (Speech Communication Arts and Sciences), Andrew Lucchesi (English), Julie Maybee (Philosophy), Ashleigh Thompson (Education).​

noon-1pm: Lunch

1pm-3pm: Issue-based discussion groups

Moderated afternoon breakout sessions will focus on a particular disability studies question, issue, or topic. The following indicates likely content of these sessions, but topics may change to reflect the interest of conference registrants.

Disability Identity in the Classroom: Faculty and Students
Moderator: Kylah Torre (Urban Education)

Theorizing Access: Disability Studies & Disability Services
Moderator: Stella Woodroffe (Disability Services)

Interdisciplinary and Cross-Campus Projects: Team-Teaching, Co-Writing, Shared Studies, Collaborative Grants
Co-moderators: Vandana Chaudhry (Social Work) & Patricia Sutherland-Cohen (Education)

Fostering Disability Culture on Campus
Moderator: Beth Haller (Media Studies)

​Disability at Stigmatized Intersections
Moderator: Stephanie Jensen-Moulton (Music)

STEM & Hard Sciences: Where Are the Potential Disability Scholars in Math, Chemistry, Physics, Engineering, etc.?
Moderator: Scott Dexter (Computer & Information Science)

Universal Design Strategies in Disability Theory: Can Disability Theorists Have Real Influence on Access and Design?
Moderator: Sara Ingram (Urban Planning)

What Counts as Disability Studies? Theory/Application
Moderator: Talia Schaffer (English)

3:30-4pm: Closing Remarks; Where Do We Go From Here?