CfP: Disability & the Victorians: Confronting Legacies

Disability & the Victorians: Confronting Legacies
Call for Papers Date: 2010-10-04 
Leeds Centre for Victorian Studies: Disability & the Victorians: Confronting Legacies, 30th July-1st August 2012 Leeds Trinity University College, Leeds, UK
The nineteenth century was the period during which disability was conceptualised, categorised, and defined. The industrial revolution, advances in medicine, the emergence of philanthropy and the growth of asylums all played their part in creating what today’s society describes as the medical model of disability. Disability can be traced through many forms: in material culture and literary genres; scientific, medical and official inquiries; art; architecture; the history of disabled charities; disabled people’s experiences; the legacy inherited by disabled people today. Proposals for papers, panels, posters and other forms of presentation (e.g. creative writing) are invited that open up new lines of research and inquiry relating to any aspect of Disability in the Victorian period. Presentations that adopt a comparative frame, shifting across the normal boundaries of history, literary studies, the history of medicine, the history and philosophy of science, art history, etc. are especially sought, but studies with a narrower focus seeking to challenge Victorian legacies in this field are also welcome. The deadline for the submission of proposals for panel sessions (no longer than 500 words) and proposals for individual 20-minute papers, posters and presentations (200-250 words) is October 4, 2010. At this stage your proposal/enquiry may be exploratory. A second and final call for papers will be issued in June 2011. Please send a short biographical note together with your proposal. Prospective panel organisers should also send the panelists’ names, paper titles, and a short biographical note for each panelist and their contact details. Support workers and carers are exempted from the conference registration fees. Papers will be circulated in advance of the conference. Please indicate by July 2011 if you would like LCVS to supply a sign language interpreter. Please indicate by April 2012 if you would like LCVS to supply an escort or support worker. All assistance dogs are welcome. If you have any enquiries regarding facilities and services for disabled people, or would like this Call for Papers in large print, please contact Joy Hamblin.
Proposals, or enquiries relating to these, should be sent to Karen Sayer k.sayer@leedstrinity.ac.uk  
General enquiries to: Joy Hamblin, Leeds Centre for Victorian Studies, Leeds Trinity University College, Brownberrie Lane, Leeds, LS18 5HD j.hamblin@leedstrinity.ac.uk ; tel. +44 (0)113 2837305
Dr Karen Sayer, Leeds Centre for Victorian Studies, Leeds Trinity University College, Brownberrie Lane, Leeds, LS18 5HD UK +44 (0)113 2837212 +44 (0)113 283 7200 Email: k.sayer@leedstrinity.ac.uk