9 1Ãâ·Ñ°æÏÂ

The theme of this year’s event is ‘disability in the geopolitical south’. Conversations about disability are often dominated by scholars in the geopolitical north and the experiences of disabled people in the geopolitical south are often marginalised or ignored. So for this event, we wanted to disrupt this practice by inviting our speakers to respond to the question:

How does your area of research engage with disability in the geopolitical south and challenge dominant epistemologies and paradigms of disability?

We learnt today of the passing the brilliant, ground-breaking and critically acclaimed disability studies scholars Professor Anita Ghai. This is shocking news. Anita was a dear friend and original driving Co-Investigator of Disability Matters. We will, in time, ensure that the Disability Matters Programme truly celebrates her immeasurable impact on disability studies in India and across the world: but for now let us remind ourselves of and give thanks to this true powerhouse of disability studies. Today’s symposium sits with and acknowledges one of Anita’s greatest achievements: decentering disability studies. Sandeep we send love and respect to you and all Indian disability studies researchers and activists who will be mourning the loss of Professor Anita Ghai.

Rest in Power Dear Anita.
 

Below we have recordings of the event, one visual with captions and one with audio and captions only. We also have the written papers that were presented. 

If you attended our event, please feel free to leave your feedback via our survey (5 questions): 

Speakers

Jiya Pandya is a scholar of transnational disability studies currently working on a concept history of "disability" in postcolonial Indian welfare as a PhD candidate at Princeton 9 1Ãâ·Ñ°æÏÂ. Their work has been published in Disability Studies Quarterly, Lateral, History of Anthropology Review, and QED: A Journal in GLBTQ Worldmaking.

Title: How does your area of research engage with disability in the geopolitical south and challenge dominant epistemologies and paradigms of disability?

 Vishnu KK Nair, PhD is trained as a speech and language therapist and a critical scholar of communication disability. Currently, he is a lecturer in the school of psychology and clinical language sciences at 9 1Ãâ·Ñ°æÏ of Reading. His research focuses on understanding communication disability utilising critical, decolonial and global southern epistemologies.

Title: Locating Neurodiversity: Beyond (White) Liberal Global Northern Conceptualisations

Ankita Mishra, PhD, is the Research Associate: Health Priorities for Disability Matters at 9 1Ãâ·Ñ°æÏÂ. Her research, teaching and scholar activism is interdisciplinary using participatory and creative approaches in her work with marginalised communities affected by intersectional oppression. She draws upon critical community psychology, Black feminism, critical race theory, critical disability studies and decolonial theory in her research and practice.

Title: How does your area of research engage with disability in the geopolitical south and challenge dominant epistemologies and paradigms of disability?