In june 2013 the International Conference on Linking Concepts of Critical Ableism and Racism Studies with Research on Conflicts of Participation will be held at the Institute of Sociology – Centre for Participation Research – University of Hamburg.
While anti-discrimination laws and the UN Disability Rights Convention provide legal guarantees anchoring the right to self-determination and inclusion in all sectors of society, these guarantees have yet to be realised in practice. Central to this conference is the question of implementation of the rights of marginalised people to inclusion, self-determination and participation in society in general and especially in the labour market. The focus is on two central interconnected axes of difference, ableism and racism, which act as powerful social “ushers” in conjunction with other constructions of difference. Both “disability” and “migration background” are terms used colloquially and often understood as properties associated with individuals; however, what remains hidden is how they are the product of complex processes of construction. These processes can take on very different forms in different geopolitical contexts depending on the specific logics of economic valorisation as well as different political and technical conditions. The aim of the conference is to discuss the creation of concepts as well as theoretical and methodological tools adequate to the task of analysing marginalisation and participation. An additional focus of the conference will be on the concept and practices of inclusion and a discussion of models, perspectives and policy options.
Call for Papers: website University of Hamburg