The Disability Working Group offers a collaborative platform for disability projects, work and research understood very broadly. For instance, research and projects may be focused on exposing and addressing social inequities and obstacles that persons with disability face, on examining the history and theory of disability or ableism, and on exploring emancipatory endeavours, from policy-making to artistic proposals and technological innovations.
Our goals are to:
- Foster a community of researchers, students, members of the disability community, allies and other stakeholders interested in disability studies, culture and policy.
- Provide opportunities to disability scholars and students, activists and practitioners from different backgrounds to present their research, work and projects in the area of disability studies and reform, broadly understood.
- Provide a platform for collaboration across disciplines and universities, and facilitate grant application, and community and policy involvement in relation to disability, broadly understood.
- Connect prospective students with disability researchers in Montreal and facilitate inter-departmental supervision.
- Keep members informed of other academic events related to disability in other research clusters at ۲ݮƵ or elsewhere in Montreal or online, through our mailing list.
How to Join or Participate
Feel free to contact the lead convenor, Jonas-Sébastien Beaudry, at jonas-sebastien.beaudry [at] mcgill.ca:
- if you want to be added to the mailing list, or if you have questions;
- if you are interested in presenting your disability research or project to the group, either to disseminate your findings, or propose collaborative endeavours;
- if you research, teach or practice in the area of disability and would like to become an affiliated member of the Group or advertise your courses below, or if you belong to a yet unrepresented ۲ݮƵ school or department amongst our co-convenors and would like be become an actively participating co-convenor.
Convenors
In order to expand its reach throughout ۲ݮƵ, the Group is co-convened by representatives of different faculties:
Jonas-Sébastien Beaudry (lead convenor) — Faculty of Law & Department of Equity, Ethics and Policy, ۲ݮƵ University
Stefanie Blain-Moraes (co-convenor) – School of Physical and Occupational Therapy, ۲ݮƵ University
David Covo (co-convenor) – Faculty of Engineering, ۲ݮƵ University
John Mac Master (co-convenor) – Schulich School of Music, ۲ݮƵ University
Kevin McDonough (co-convenor) — Department of Integrated Studies in Education & Faculty of Education, ۲ݮƵ University
Jonathan Sterne (co-convenor) — Department of Art History and Communication Studies, ۲ݮƵ University
Faculty Members Affiliated to the Disability Working Group
Philippe Archambault – School of Physical and Occupational Therapy, ۲ݮƵ University
Agnès Berthelot-Raffard — School of Health Policy and Management, York University
Marie-Christine Beshay — School of Physical and Occupational Therapy, ۲ݮƵ University
Emilie Dionne — Scientist/Researcher, Mary’s Research Centre
Tara Flanagan — Department of Educational and Counselling Psychology, ۲ݮƵ University
Matthew Hunt — School of Physical and Occupational Therapy, ۲ݮƵ University
Sébastien Jodoin – Faculty of Law, ۲ݮƵ University
Patrick McDonagh — Department of English, Concordia University
Karyn Moffatt — School of Information Studies, ۲ݮƵ University
Nathalie Myara — Faculty of Education, University of Montreal
Elizabeth Patitsas — Department of Integrated Studies in Education & School of Computer Science, ۲ݮƵ University
Shawn Wilkinson — Department of Applied Human Sciences, Concordia University
David Wright – Department of History and Classical Studies & Department of Equity, Ethics and Policy, ۲ݮƵ University
Community Partners
Courses Related to Disability Studies Offered at ۲ݮƵ*
BMDE 525: Design of Assistive Technology: Principles and Praxis
COMS 411: Disability, Technology, Communication
ENGL 318: Theory of English Studies 2 – Disability in Literature
EDEC 575: Critical Disability Studies for Education
FMED 511: Introduction to Art in Healthcare: Making Art Accessible
GSFS 303: Gender and Disability
LAWG 533: Disability Law
LAWG 534: Law & Body
PUB2 500: Law and Psychiatry
OCC1 625: Functional Environments
POTH 625: Design of Assistive Technology: Principles
RELG 571: Ethics, Medicine and Religion
*If you would like your course to be added to this list, please contact the group convenor.
Disability Symposium Series
In addition to co-hosting a variety of yearly events and talks, the Disability Working Group holds an annual symposium.
- January 29th, 2021 - Disability, Justice and Care Symposium from 12:30-2:30.
- March 18th, 2022 - Disability & Well-Being: Theoretical and Applied Perspectives from 12:30-2:30.