Disability and Access to Research: Open for Whom?

Disability and Access to Research: Open for Whom?

The current conditions of life under pandemic lockdown have spurred calls for broader access to the scholarly literature as the daily experiences of many disabled people are, quite literally, brought home to a broader portion of the research community. Limited access to research material when the physical library is closed is merely the same condition under which many people with disabilities are forced to work in ‘normal times’.

This May will see the Open Publishing Festival come to life – a digital celebration of diverse cultures of open practice. We seek expressions of interest from those who identify as disabled and who would like to share their experiences of access to research. We welcome contributions on a spectrum from those that are theoretically informed to those that are phenomenological/experiential/lived in nature. We will discuss the digital format of presentations once a panel has been assembled.

Those interested in participating should send a brief outline note on a proposed contribution to Martin Eve (martin@eve.gd) by the 13th May.