Pacific Rim International Conference on Disabilities-April

*Aloha and apologies for cross-postings. As many of you know the Center on
Disability Studies at the University of Hawaii hosts an annual Conference on
Disabilities. I share with you all 4 Topic areas with with I'm involved so
far. Much more is displayed at www.pacrim.hawaii.edu*
*Proposal abstracts are due Dec 22, 2010. Please join us in Hawaii for this
incredible Conference!*
*Thanks,*
*Steve

1. Independent Living: Disability, Ability, and Cultural Identities in a
Changing World*

 Keynote Panel: Celebrating Moving from Institutions to International
Convention

A noted panel of "Living Treasures," individuals involved in Independent
Living for decades will discuss where we've been, where we are now, and
where we're going. These individuals have been pioneers in Independent
Living in various parts of the country and the world and will share their
experiences and expertise about the disability rights movement as we move
toward celebrating the 40th anniversary of the first independent living
centers, the 30th anniversary of the International Year of Disabled Persons,
the 28th anniversary of the founding of ADAPT, the 36th anniversary of the
Individuals with Education Act, the 21st anniversary of the Americans with
Disabilities Act, the 12th anniversary of the Olmstead Act, and the 4th
anniversary of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with
Disabilities. The panelists will deliver testimony to one of the most recent
human rights movements affecting hundreds of millions of people across the
globe.

Living with a disability is a fact of life almost everyone in every society,
culture and location will experience, either personally, or through family
or friends. This year the Independent Living topic area will focus on the
meaning and practice of independent living in an increasingly diverse world.
We encourage international submissions, including those from the Pacific Rim
region. Questions and topics to be submitted for consideration as
presentations, posters, or papers include:

Models of independence in your country or culture or within the context of
your cultural values

How does (or does) independent living change for people with diverse
disabilities, for example, self-advocates or mental health issues

Different methods and uses of advocacy in different cultures. Describe what
being a change agent means in different countries and different regions of
one country

Describe twenty-first century independent living for people with diverse
disabilities, for example, cognitive disabilities or psychiatric
disabilities

Discuss how independent living might focus on ability.

Examine the impact of the United Nations (UN) Convention on the Rights of
Persons with Disabilities on independent living in your country

Discuss barriers to achieving independent living, for example in obtaining
education, employment or civil rights in your location, culture or society.

Share the most important disability issues needing to be addressed in your
area and possible solutions and resources needed

We encourage imaginative approaches to these and other issues you may want
to suggest for this topic area. We welcome all proposals. Please see
presentation formats on our Web site:
http://www.pacrim.hawaii.edu/submissions/presenters/formats/.

You may submit proposals online at:
http://www.pacrim.hawaii.edu/callforpapers/ or send your proposals via email
to prcall@hawaii.edu.

If you have questions or need further information, please contact the
Independent Living Co-Chairs:

Steve Brown at the Center on Disability Studies: sebrown@hawaii.edu, (808)
956-0996
Lillian Gonzales Brown at the Institute on Disability Culture:
eccentriclil@gmail.com
Sheryl Nelson at the Statewide Independent Living Council of Hawaii:
silchi@lava.net

*2. Disability Studies:Culture, Policy and Global Change
*
 Disability Studies approaches disability as a social and cultural phenomena
in which localized and global interpretations include socio-cultural,
historical, political and rights-based perspectives.

The Pacific Rim International Conference on Disabilities topic area,
Disability Studies: Culture, Policy and Global Change, seeks to imagine and
convey where Disability Studies is at present, how it is evolving, and what
it entails for the immediate and more distant future.

We welcome proposals in any area of Disability Studies, including:

Current developments and national and global approaches to Disability
Studies programs;

Historical and contemporary perspectives about Disability Studies;

Retrospectives and future directions in celebration of the 20th Anniversary
of the Americans with Disabilities Act;

Present and future impacts of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of
Persons with Disabilities on Disability Studies

The role of the Internet and technology, including social networking,
distance learning, Universal Design and online research tools, on Disability
Studies research and dissemination

The intersections, including integration and collaboration, between
Disability Studies and other disciplines

The ways in which Disability Culture has informed Disability Studies

We welcome all proposals. Please see presentation formats on our Web site:
http://www.pacrim.hawaii.edu/submissions/presenters/formats/.

You may submit proposals online at:
http://www.pacrim.hawaii.edu/callforpapers/ or send your proposals via email
to prcall@hawaii.edu.

For more information about this topic area, contact the Disability Studies
Co-Chairs:

Megan Conway at the Center on Disability Studies: mconway@hawaii.edu, (808)
956-6166
Steve Brown at the Center on Disability Studies: sebrown@hawaii.edu, (808)
956-0996
Norma Jean Stodden at the Center on Disability Studies: nstodden@hawaii.edu
Kelly Roberts at the Center on Disability Studies: robertsk@hawaii.edu

 *3. Increasing Participation of Persons with Diverse Needs from
Under-Represented Groups in Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics
(Stem) Education and Careers*

Todays workforce internationally is seeing Science, Technology, Engineering
& Mathematics (STEM) employment at 4 times the rate of low-tech jobs. Still,
individuals with disabilities and other culturally and linguistically
diverse groups are under-represented in the STEM fields.

In the United States, in 2009, President Obama identified three overarching
priorities for STEM education:

Increasing STEM literacy so all students can think critically in those
areas;

Improving the quality of math and science teaching so American students are
no longer outperformed by those in other nations; and

Expanding STEM education and career opportunities for underrepresented
groups, including women and minorities.

The topic area chairs are seeking the following in its call for proposals:

Proposals which address the teaching and learning of STEM in K-12 education
for all learners;

Proposals which promote the pipeline of underrepresented students into
postsecondary STEM degrees;

Proposals which demonstrate successful implementation of innovative
strategies to engage underrepresented students in STEM;

Proposals that address barriers to STEM careers for underrepresented
individuals;

Proposal presenting research which might contribute to improved awareness
and participation of under-represented groups in STEM.

We welcome all proposals. Please see presentation formats on our Web site:
http://www.pacrim.hawaii.edu/submissions/presenters/formats/.

You may submit proposals online at:
http://www.pacrim.hawaii.edu/callforpapers/ or send your proposals via email
to prcall@hawaii.edu.

If you have questions or need further information, please contact the STEM
Co-Chairs:

Robert Stodden at the Center on Disability Studies: stodden@hawaii.edu,
808-956-9199.
Kiriko Takahashi at the Center on Disability Studies: kiriko@hawaii.edu,
(808)956-4457.

Other Persons & Collaborators:
University of Hawaii Manoa STEM Departments and the Hawaii Department of
Education

*4. International Disability Rights: Creating Inclusive Societies for
Everyone*

Human Rights are universal and indivisible. Human freedom is not separate
from these: if its denied to anyone anywhere, it is therefore denied,
indirectly to all. Vaclav Havel

Human Rights standards which recognize the inherent dignity and the equal
and inalienable rights of all members of the human family have guided the
actions of governments for over 60 years. The ethical impulse in creating
societies in which every human being regardless of gender, race, religion or
disability is human and should be treated as such has sadly still left out
the most vulnerable of our fellow human beingsincluding indigenous peoples,
women, children and those with disabilities. With the Convention on the
Rights of Persons with Disabilities now in force we have a revitalized
ethical and moral imperative to extinguish those elements which make for a
disabling society and create through legal mechanisms and multi-stakeholder
approaches, thriving, inclusive societies.

At this critical juncture where economic downturns, environmental
degradation and increased human suffering intersect with a vital movement of
rights based advocates intent on eradicating exclusionary societies, this
topic area seeks to examine the past, present and future through a dynamic
lens of critical examination, visionary explorations and futuristic
scenarios on where we want to go towards creating inclusive societies. What
is working and what is not? What can rights based approaches offer us in
terms of building brick by brick, protest by protest, law by law and
personal relationship by personal relationship societies in which all human
beings thrive?

The topic area chairs are seeking the following:

Proposals which promote multifaceted approaches for social inclusion of
persons with disabilities through a human rights based approach

Proposals which exemplify community rights based approaches in removing
institutional, informational, physical and attitudinal barriers

Proposals which address the disconnect between the ADA and other related
nation-state laws with the reality on the ground through best practice
approaches

Proposals which detail innovative policies and practices to address
caregiving/carework issues.

Human Rights approaches which promote eradication of povertyparticularly
for vulnerable populations (women, children, indigenous peoples, individuals
with disabilities).

Best practices in how the Convention on the Rights of Persons with
Disabilities (CRPD) can best be utilized to promote inclusive societies.

Proposals which exemplify integration of disability issues into existing
human rights frameworks.

Collaborative models or multi-stakeholder approaches in creating inclusive
communities.

We welcome all proposals. Please see presentation formats on our Web site:
http://www.pacrim.hawaii.edu/submissions/presenters/formats/.

For more information about this topic area, contact the Human Rights
Co-Chairs:

Robert Stodden at the Center on Disability Studies: stodden@hawaii.edu ,
(808) 956-9199
Charmaine Crockett at the Center on Disability Studies: cccrocke@hawaii.edu,
(808) 956-7539
Steve Brown at the Center on Disability Studies: sebrown@hawaii.edu, (808)
956-0996
Holly Manaseri at the Center on Disability Studies: hmanaser@hawaii.edu,
(808) 956-9218

For general information on the conference, please contact Charmaine Crockett
at cccrocke@hawaii.edu, (808) 956-7539. For registration questions please
contact Michael Corlew at prreg@hawaii.edu, Phone: (808) 956-8816, Fax:
(808) 956-7878



END

--
Pacific Rim International Conference on Disabilities
April 18-19, 2011
www.pacrim.hawaii.edu

Steven E. Brown, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Center on Disability Studies
www.cds.hawaii.edu
1776 University Ave., UA4-6
University of Hawaii
Honolulu, HI 96822
808-956-0996
808-956-7878 (fax)
Skype:  stevenebrown
Twitter:  disculture
Co-Founder: Institute on Disability Culture
http://www.instituteondisabilityculture.org