Fall 2017 course offering: Disability and community participation
This course is only offered every other year as we immerse into a real life PAR project in action. If you are interested in learning about Participatory Action Research with the disability rights community in Chicago and nationally, want to find out about the latest policies and systems changes, and want to strategize systems changes and action to address participation disparities experienced by disabled people, please join us!
The course focuses on the intersect of disability policy, activism, and action research, and is grounded within a collaborative learning framework with disability communities. Our emphasis is placed on immersing into a critical examination of the policies, systems and strategies utilized by people with disabilities to support community living and participation choice and control, as well as activism and social action initiatives to build collective power and critical consciousness. A specific focus is placed on designing, conducting and evaluating participatory action research projects in collaboration with community organizations, activists, policy makers and constituents with disabilities from the community. Community-based participatory research activities will center upon strategies to promote a praxis of education, research and activism to effect systems change, promote social justice, and build community and critical consciousness. This year’s PAR project will focus on disparities people with disabilities face in community living, community participation and work-economic equity, specifically collaborating with people with disabilities from the national ADA Participation Action Research Consortium (ADA PARC). Additionally, you will design your own PAR project.
Please contact Joy Hammel at hammel@uic.edu for more details or to register.