CFP: "Law, Religion and Disability", special issue of the Canadian Journal of Disability Studies

Special Issue of the Canadian Journal of Disability Studies

The relationship of law, religion and disability is complex, emerging and still in development as a research area.  Scholarship on religion and disability has included feminist reflections regarding religion and disability (e.g. Minister 2013) and analysis of the physical isolation that can result in congregations where accommodations are made but without reflection on the communal aspects of integration (Eiesland 1994).  Further, health care providers working with disabled individuals negotiate and navigate their own religious identities in their professional sphere (Bray, Egan and Beagan 2012).  Legal advancement within the disability movement has produced results such as the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act.  Public and policy challenges remain highly contested and disability advocates reflect on the limitations of existing policy as well as the challenge of the application of these policies (e.g. Prince 2012; Johner 2013).  

We are seeking articles that articulate the diverse perspectives of disability studies as it relates both to law and religion.  There are multiple ways the religion, law and disability intersect with one another.  The special issue intends to explore overlapping themes in dialogue to reflect on the current discourse about disability, disabled identities and its interconnections with law and religion.

Possible topics can include, but are not limited to:

What social, cultural or religious norms have created exclusive or inclusive environments?  E.g. What constraints might the Quebec Charter of Values have created for individuals at the intersection of religion and disabled identities?

Religious individuals and organizations face challenges regarding the theological debates regarding inclusivity versus exclusivity in the accommodation of disabled individuals.  What are some of the challenges of negotiating theological doctrine and what are the nuances made possible through theology regarding disability?

How is disability taught or not taught, in schools or within religious institutions?  What are the policies in the education system regarding disability and what challenges are ongoing regarding education and disability?

How do religious organizations and law respond to disability within a health framework?  What challenges are faced by healthcare workers who are religiously identified or disabled?  In what ways are religion, law and disability or disabled identities negotiated?

We welcome submissions from across the disciplines of law, religious studies and disability studies, as well as submissions from outside those fields.  Proposals should be no more than 2 pages in length (single spaced) and should include: theoretical and methodological approach; central thesis or argument; and data used within article (i.e. legislation, doctrine).  Proposals must be submitted to Ravi Malhotra (Ravi.Malhotra@uottawa.ca) and Heather Shipley (hshipley@uottawa.ca) by September 30, 2014.   Notifications will be sent out by November 15, 2014 and final submissions will be due January 30, 2015.  Full articles should be between 6,000-7,000 words, using the Turabian style guide (16th Edition) or another recognized citation style.  All final articles will be subject to the peer-review process. Publication is conditional on reviewer reports. As per Canadian Journal of Disability Studies policies, all methods and methodologies and disciplines are welcome, as are submissions in French or English.  This CFP additionally invites perspectives on religion from across traditions, and legal perspectives from outside of Canada or North America.