Decolonial Disability Studies Collective Kicks Off First Meeting of 2025-2026

The Decolonial Disability Studies Collective (DDSC) kicked off the academic year with an energizing first meeting, fostering collaboration as members shared knowledge and engaged in collective learning and unlearning to advance decolonial disability studies.

We are pleased to welcome two new members:

• Rachael Rosenberg, a first-year MA student in Human Rights and Social Justice at ĐÓ°ÉÔ­´´ University, Canada.
• Yash Gupta, a Research Fellow and Doctoral Candidate in the International and Interdisciplinary Research Training Group at the University of Bremen, Germany.

Looking ahead, DDSC has various upcoming initiatives:

• The launch of the Global South-CONNECT project website.
• Local fieldwork in India, scheduled for October 2025.
• ENGAGE Project Knowledge Mobilization Weeks in February 2026, bringing together researchers, activists, and young women and girls with disabilities from the Global South, and audiences around the world through a digital exhibition and online dialogue.

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We are excited to announce the official launch of the Women and Girls with Disabilities Club in A LĆ°á»›i. This event is the result of the dedicated efforts of the A LĆ°á»›i leadership team throughout their engagement in the ENGAGE project, particularly following the manifesto they presented at the Youth Leadership Circle in June 2024.

The launch ceremony took place on October 11, 2024, at the Special Associations Hall in A LĆ°á»›i. The leadership team also organized an exhibition showcasing activities from their journey with the ENGAGE project.

This marks a significant milestone for women and girls with disabilities, empowering them to demonstrate leadership skills and amplify their voices and actions within the community. They aim to work closely with community stakeholders to ensure all legal procedures are followed and to foster the participation of women and girls with disabilities.

Congratulations to our A LĆ°á»›i team! Stay tuned for more updates as we continue to follow their journey!

A group of women and girls with disabilities, wearing their traditional costumes, performed a dance.

A group photo of members of the Women and Girls with Disabilities Club with research assistant Nhi Truong

 

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Warm Greetings!

On the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, we want to personally extend our heartfelt congratulations to you for your exceptional work in championing the rights of persons with disabilities. Your dedication is truly inspiring.

We deeply appreciate the collaborative efforts and eagerly look forward to continuing our journey together toward a more inclusive future.

Warmest Regards,

The Decolonial Disabilit Studies Collective & ENGAGE Project, ĐÓ°ÉÔ­´´ University

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ENGAGE_Fieldwork October 2023

Date: 28.10.2023-29.10.2023

OBJECTIVES

• To create a space for disabled youth leaders to share knowledge and experiences about the Youth Leadership Circle (YLC) with the local women and girls in their community.
• To build and mobilize leadership and activist skills with young women and girls with disabilities through collective organizing and knowledge-sharing.
• To engage the participants in taking action in community organizing through the process of network building.

MAIN ACTIVITIES

• The youth leaders reported on their participation into and the results of the YLC workshop with other young women and girls with disabilities in A Luoi. They shared information about the activities organized and the issues discussed at the YLC. They also shared lessons learned from their participation. Furthermore, young women and girls with disabilities in A Luoi discussed the effective application of knowledge gained from the workshop in their local context.

Figure 1: Two girls presented their reflection on the lessons learned from the YLC workshop.

• Zine making: Through a topic titled “Bringing about changes,” young women and girls with disabilities in A Luoi discussed the issues that need to be addressed through the creative production of a magazine, covering topics such as employment, verbal violence, school, and community inclusion. Participants envisioned their roles in collaborating to create a better world for women and young girls with disabilities.

Figure 2: A girl with disabilities was making a zine titled “Community inclusion”

Figure 3: A girl and a woman with disabilities sharing their stories through zine-making.

• Drawing on the manifesto of the representative group from the YLC workshop regarding the establishment of a Club for women and girls with disabilities, all the participants collectively developed specific plans and activities. In particular, they focused on promoting the roles and effective participation of girls with disabilities in the club’s activities.

Figure 4: A youth leader presenting her learning experiences from the YLC.

OUTCOMES

Through their active engagement in collective organizing, the youth leaders gradually took on a leadership role, transitioning from their primary role as participants to organizers of their own community activities. This leadership development approach not only empowered the youth leaders but also enhanced their leadership responsibilities within the team. This reflects a process of building trust and relationship between researchers and community members, contributing to the development of the effective learning environment.

Figure 5: A group photo of the women and girls with disabilities, the representatives of A Luoi Blind Association, and the research team.

The ENGAGE Fieldwork Oct 2023 Update can also be found at:

PDF version: ENGAGE Fieldwork October 2023

Word version: ENGAGE_Fieldwork October 2023

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The Decolonial Disability Studies Collective (DDSC) at ĐÓ°ÉÔ­´´ University is pleased to share a recap of our recent webinar, “Developing Decolonial Partnerships with Disability Communities in the Global South: Perspectives from the South,” which took place on October 23, 2023.

This engaging webinar brought together three panelists: Jace Nair, Dr. Shilpaa Anand, and Dr. Alexis Padilla in the dialogue with audiences to explore the challenges and opportunities of fostering inclusive, decolonial partnerships with disability communities in the Global South.

If you have any questions or require further information about the webinar, please feel free to reach out to our project coordinator, Dana Corfield, via email at danacorfield@cunet.carleton.ca.

We sincerely thank you for joining us in this important conversation, and we look forward to your continued engagement in our upcoming events.

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A screenshot taken during the webinar

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Research Assistant Position Available for EDID

Monday, October 2, 2023

Dr. Xuan Thuy Nguyen of the Institute of Interdisciplinary Studies is currently looking for a Research Assistant for her latest research project titled Engendering Disability-Inclusive Development (EDID) – Vietnam Project. The job description is posted below.

Research Assistant (RA) Position

The EDID project invites applications for 1 Research Assistant at ĐÓ°ÉÔ­´´ University in Canada. Funded by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (2020-27), EDID – Vietnam Project aims to examine how diverse women and girls with disabilities in Vietnam have participated in decision-making processes in relation to their social, cultural, and political lives to foster gender equality and transformative justice in their communities. Please find specific information about the EDID project at /ddsc/engender-disability-inclusive-development-edid-vietnam-project/

We enthusiastically invite applications for one Research Assistant (RA) position at ĐÓ°ÉÔ­´´ University to assist Dr. Nguyen in the research process. The successful candidate will be a graduate student enrolled in a MA program at ĐÓ°ÉÔ­´´ University or another university, or an upper-level undergraduate student with knowledge of Disability Studies, Women’s and Gender Studies, and/or Decolonial Studies who intends to apply for an MA program at ĐÓ°ÉÔ­´´ next year. You will work directly with the lead researcher of the Vietnam case study, Professor Xuan Thuy Nguyen, and other Research Assistants. You will be provided with necessary training to successfully conduct your research and coordinating tasks.

Responsibilities:

The RA will be responsible for assisting the research team in the research process, with major responsibilities including conducting literature reviews and data analysis; assisting with administrative work; editing and preparing articles for publications. You will report your tasks directly to Dr. Nguyen.

Specific responsibilities of the research assistant are described below:

1. Assisting in conducting literature reviews, data collection, data analysis, and data management.
2. Assisting the team in editing and preparing manuscripts for publications, where applicable.
3. Assisting with some administrative and academic tasks, such as technical support for zoom meetings and facilitating research workshops with other team members, where relevant.
4. Assisting in coordinating activities with global and local partners, when required.
5. Assisting in grant writing applications, where possible.

Qualifications:

1. Knowledge of critical disability studies, women’s and gender studies, and/or post-colonial and decolonial studies.
2. Good qualitative research skills. Basic knowledge of NVivo software will be considered an asset.
3. Interest in and/or experience organizing research activities in coordination with an international team.
4. Excellent organizational, problem-solving, and academic writing skills.
5. Ability to work independently to fulfill assigned tasks on time.
6. Experience working with women and girls with disabilities in the global South is an asset.

Salary:

The total number of hours for this position is 400 hours. Your approximate number of hours per week is 9-10 hours/week, for 34 weeks (or approximately 10  months). Your RAship starts on November 1st, 2023, and ends on June 30^th, 2024, with a possibility of renewal. Salary will be paid in accordance with your experience and degree. A probationary period is applied for the first two months. This job will be primarily online. However, you are expected to meet with the lead researcher and the research team on a regular basis via zoom or face-to-face. You may also be required to meet with the project’s partners for networking and planning purposes. The successful candidate can arrange his/her time appropriately.

Applications will be accepted until October 31^st, 2023. Only short-listed applicants will be invited for an interview.

Interested candidates should submit a cover letter and their rĂ©sumĂ© in English to Dr. Xuan Thuy Nguyen, Associate Professor, Institute of Interdisciplinary Studies & Feminist Institute of Social Transformation, ĐÓ°ÉÔ­´´ University. Please send these documents to Dana Corfield (Project Coordinator) at DanaCorfield@cunet.carleton.ca, and state “APPLICATION – EDID_RA POSITION” in the subject line of the email.

A detailed job description can also be found:

PDF Version: EDID RA posting_ Oct 2023

Word Version: EDID RA posting_ Oct 2023

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We are delighted to introduce two new members to our team, Jess Rocheleau and Jessica McCarthy, both from ĐÓ°ÉÔ­´´ University. Their expertise and perspectives are sure to enrich our Decolonial Disability Studies Collaborative (DDSC) Lab.

We would also like to express our gratitude to Asaki Perera, who has been an integral part of DDSC. As she embarks on new projects, we wish her great success in all her future endeavors.

With the beginning of the school year upon us, we extend our warmest wishes to everyone for a fantastic start. Here is to a year filled with growth, innovation, and shared accomplishments!

The image above shows a screenshot from Zoom. Team members in the image are Hoa Bui, Dr. Thuy Nguyen, Jess Rocheleau, Asaki Perera, Dana Corfield, Martha Roblin, Jessica McCarthy, Nhi Truong and Linh Dang.

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Research Assistant Position Available for ENGAGE

Tuesday, November 2, 2021

Dr. Xuan Thuy Nguyen is currently looking for a Research Assistant for her latest research project titled Learning with and from the Global South: Opportunities for Engaging Girls and Young Women with Disabilities Across Southern Spaces (ENGAGE). The job description is posted below.

Research Assistant (RA) Position

The Learning with and from the Global South: Opportunities for Engaging Girls and Young Women with Disabilities Across Southern Spaces (ENGAGE) project invites applications for 1 Research Assistant at ĐÓ°ÉÔ­´´ University in Canada. Funded by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (2021-24), ENGAGE aims to create decolonial spaces for young women and girls with disabilities in the global South to develop their knowledge of leadership and foster their inclusion.

Objectives:

ENGAGE examines how girls and young women with disabilities in the global South can engage in transnational and local spaces and networks to become young leaders in their communities. Specifically, this project has five Research Objectives:

1) CREATE decolonial and participatory spaces for girls and young women with disabilities in the global South to develop knowledge on leadership and activism;

2) ENGAGE these women and girls in transnational and local platforms to shape their activist spaces and agendas based on their perspectives and experiences;

3) MOBILIZE these knowledge networks across advocacy organizations, universities, and communities in the global South to foster solidary and collective social action;

4) ESTABLISH sustainable relationships with global and local stakeholders and build potential for transnational activism that engages young women and girls with disabilities across the global North and South.

5) BUILD future partnerships with disabled girls and women and their Disabled Persons’ Organizations (DPOs) to foster their activism for inclusion and social change across the global North and South.

We enthusiastically invite applications for one Research Assistant (RA) position at ĐÓ°ÉÔ­´´ University to assist the Project Director in all phases of the research process.

The successful candidate will be a graduate student enrolled in a Ph.D. or MA program at ĐÓ°ÉÔ­´´ University or an upper-level undergraduate student with knowledge of Disability Studies and/or Decolonial Studies who intends to apply for an MA program at ĐÓ°ÉÔ­´´ next year. As an RA, you will have the opportunity to work with an international team with an interdisciplinary focus. You will work directly with the Project Director, Professor Xuan Thuy Nguyen, and other Research Assistants. You will be provided with the necessary training to successfully conduct your research and coordinate tasks.

Responsibilities:

The RA will be responsible for assisting the Project Director in all phases of the research process. You will report your tasks directly to Dr. Nguyen. Major responsibilities include: developing training guides; fieldwork, data collection, and management; and preparing articles for publications.

Specific responsibilities of the research assistant are described below:

1. Assisting the Project Director in developing training materials.
2. Assisting the Project Director in conducting literature review, data collection, data analysis, and data management.
3. Assisting the team in administrative and academic tasks, such as financial reporting.
4. Assisting the team in preparing manuscripts for publications, where applicable.
5. Assisting in coordinating activities with global and local partners, when required.

 Qualifications:

1. Knowledge of critical disability studies, postcolonial and decolonial studies, and/or women’s and gender studies.
2. Good qualitative research skills. Basic knowledge of NVivo software will be considered an asset.
3. Interest in and/or experience organizing research activities in coordination with an international team.
4. Excellent organizational and problem-solving skills.
5. Ability to work independently to fulfill assigned tasks on time.
6. Experience working with women and girls with disabilities in the global South is an asset.

Salary:

The total number of hours is approximately 10 hours/week, for 30 weeks (or 7 months), starting on January 1st, 2022 and ending on July 31st, 2022, with a possibility of renewal. Salary will be paid in accordance with your experience and degree. A probationary period is applied for the first two months. This job will be primarily online. However, you are expected to meet with the Project Director and the research team on a regular basis via zoom or face-to-face. You may also be required to meet with the project’s partners for networking and planning purposes. The successful candidate can arrange his/her time appropriately.

Applications will be accepted until November 30^th, 2021. The screening process will start on December 1st, 2021.

Interested candidates should submit a cover letter and their rĂ©sumĂ© in English to Dr. Xuan Thuy Nguyen, Associate Professor, Institute of Interdisciplinary Studies & the Pauline Jewett Institute of Women’s and Gender Studies, ĐÓ°ÉÔ­´´ University. Please send these documents to Dana Corfield (Project Coordinator) at DanaCorfield@cunet.carleton.ca, and state “APPLICATION – ENGAGE_RA POSITION” in the subject line of the email.

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