Call for Papers: Special Issue of Radical History Review on "Disability and History"

Radical History Review seeks contributions to a special issue on the topic of "Disability and History." While most Americans are aware of the passage of the 1990 Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), it was not until 1973 that any anti-discrimination national law existed as regards disabled Americans and then it was contained in a single sentence, "Section 504" of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (twice vetoed by then President Richard Nixon before its eventual passage). If the 1990 ADA was a milestone in the history of disability rights, it did not come about without a long history of struggle. The modern history of disability rights has paralleled the movement for civil rights, gender equality, protections for sexual orientation, the environmental movement and many other aspects of the post-1960 struggle for political change.æ It has, however, received less attention among radical historians, especially in the global context.

RHR seeks contributions on all aspects of disability and history. Contributions might include, but are not isolated to, articles on the following topics: intersections of race, gender, queerness and disability; changes in family structures, childhood, education; all forms of artistic expression; the history of special education; the effects of the ADA; issues of law and sexuality with regard to disabled individuals and communities; alternative histories of disability activism; histories of paternalism toward the disabled vs. the struggle for equal rights and autonomy; architectural controversies over accessibility vs. historic preservation; representation of disabilities in the ideological constructs of empire-building; connections between disability and national and international political struggles; and social constructions of disability, in non-Western histories and communities.

These are only suggestions and we encourage contributions on the widest range of topics related to history, disability/ability. Submissions are not restricted to traditional research articles. We welcome short reports and reflections, documents, photo essays, art and illustrations, interviews with activists or intellectuals, teaching resources including syllabi for courses, original documents, exhibit and book reviews. RHR solicits contributions from activists and academics.æ Deadline for submissions: Jan. 15, 2005.

Send to:
Disability and History
Radical History Review
Tamiment Library, NYU
70 Washington Square South, 10th Fl.
New York, NYæ 10012
Email:æ rhr@igc.org

Essays should be submitted electronically, as an attachment, with "Issue 94 submission" in the subject line.æ For artwork, please submit 3 copies by mail.æ For preliminary e-mail inquires, please include "Issue 94" in the subject line.

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