Push Girls premieres June 4

A reminder to folks in the USA that the first reality TV show focused on women wheelchair users begins June 4 on the Sundance Channel. If you don't get the Sundance Channel, I believe episodes will be online.

http://www.sundancechannel.com/push-girls/

I have been in touch with several people promoting Push Girls for the Sundance Channel, and I see lots of effort from the show to try to "get things right." Let's hope it does!

Just fyi.

Best, Beth

------------------------------

------------------------------------------
Beth A. Haller, Ph.D.
Professor, Journalism/New Media
Dept. of Mass Comm & Comm Studies
Towson University
8000 York Rd., Towson, MD 21252
Ph: 410-704-2442
Fax: 410-704-3656
My book: http://www.media-disability.net/
Web page: http://pages.towson.edu/bhalle/
Blog: http://media-dis-n-dat.blogspot.com/

Prayers For My Father

  Prayers For My Father

May the One who was a source of blessing for our ancestors, bring blessings of healing upon my father, Leon Miller, a healing of body and a healing of spirit. May those in whose care he is entrusted, be gifted with wisdom and skill, and those who surround him, be gifted with love and trust, openness and support in his care. And may he be healed along with all those who are in need. Blessed are You, Source of healing. Amen.

 Prayer for the body Blessed are You, our Eternal God, Creator of the Universe, who has made our bodies in wisdom, creating openings, arteries, glands, and organs marvelous in structure, intricate in design. Should but one of them, by being blocked or opened, fail to function, it would be difficult to stand before You. Wondrous Fashioner and Sustainer of life, Source of our health and our strength, we give you thanks and praise. 

Prayer for healing Hear my prayer, O Lord, heed my plea for mercy.
In time of trouble I call You, for You will answer me.
When pain and illness are my companions, let there be room in my heart for strength.
When the days and nights are filled with darkness, let the light of courage find its place.
Help me endure the suffering and dissolve the fear; renew within me the calm spirit of trust and peace. 

We praise you, O God, Healer of the Sick.

CFP: MEDIEVALISM(S) & DIVERSITY

CALL FOR PAPERS: 27TH INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON MEDIEVALISM:
MEDIEVALISM(S) & DIVERSITY****

Is there diversity in medievalism? How has medievalism represented
diversity of religion, race, nationality, ethnicity, sexuality, gender,...?
How have medievalist works supported issues concerning equity and
inclusion? How have medievalist works oppressed and suppressed? Are there
elements of bigotry and discrimination? What about human rights as a
medieval concept, as a contemporary concept? Media to consider might
include (but are not limited to) any of the following: novels, plays,
poetry, films, art works, the Internet, television, historical works,
political works, comics, video games. Angles to consider might include (but
are not limited to) any of the following: race, gender, sexuality,
disability/ability, religion, corporation and/or class, nationality, human
rights, political correctness, marginalization, anti-marginalization
tactics, rewritten codes, rewritten ideologies, re-affirmed codes,
re-affirmed ideologies.

27TH INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON MEDIEVALISM: MEDIEVALISM(S) & DIVERSITY****

(http://www.medievalism.net/conferences/ksu2012conference.html)****

There will be both the  traditional "Brick-n-Mortar" conference (Kent State
University Stark) and (new) a "Cloud Conference" online for those who are
unable to travel.  Student papers will be considered, but please also note
and encourage your students to participate in the STUDENT ESSAY CONTEST
(see below).

INFORMATION: 27TH INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON MEDIEVALISM: MEDIEVALISM(S) &
DIVERSITY****

(http://www.medievalism.net/conferences/ksu2012conference.html)****

DEADLINE: June 1, 2012

**

Send titles and abstracts to:****

Dr. Carol Robinson, Conference Chair****

Kent State University Trumbull****

4314 Mahoning Avenue, NW****

Warren, Ohio 44483****

clrobins@kent.edu****

FAX: 330-437-0490****

** THE BRICK-N-MORTAR CONFERENCE STRUCTURE: This is being hosted by Kent
State University Stark (October 18-20, 2012).

**

** THE CLOUD CONFERENCE STRUCTURE (password-protected): Those suffering
from the weak economy, we will still be providing a conference experience
online (at a cheaper rate).  The Cloud Conference part is being hosted
fully online by MEMO and members of the KSU Trumbull Campus (October 15 to
November 15, 2012).  Individuals will post papers (PDFs), videos
(YouTube),sound recordings, or other media online which will be either
hosted directly within the password-protected site or linked to from
outside the site (as in the case for YouTube video presentations).  Anyone
registered for the Brick-n-Mortar conference will have access to this part
of the conference as well and be able to comment/discuss presentations in
text format online.

**

** **

Publication Opportunities:****

Selected scholarly papers related to the conference theme will be published
in "The Year’s Work in Medievalism." ****

** **

============================**

**

STUDENT ESSAY CONTEST****

SPECIAL DEADLINE: July 15, 2012****

** **

DEADLINE: June 1, 2012****

** Send completed essays to:

**

Dr. Carol Robinson, Conference Chair****

Kent State University Trumbull****

4314 Mahoning Avenue, NW****

Warren, Ohio 44483****

clrobins@kent.edu****

FAX: 330-437-0490****

** **

RULES:****

1. Students must be college undergraduates currently enrolled for for
classes at their academic institution.****

2. Essays must address the theme "Medievalism(s) and Diversity" (see
description above).****

3. Essays must be MLA formatted, double-spaced, and in 12 point font.****

4. Essays must be submitted in PDF format via email or in paper format via
regular postal mail to either Dr. Carol L. Robinson or Dr. Elizabeth
Williamsen (see the addresses below).****

5. NO FAXED SUBMISSIONS!****

PRIZES****

1ST PLACE: The winning essay will be published in Medievally Speaking, be
mentioned on the International Society for the Study of Medievalism web
site, and receive $100.00 prize money. The paper will also be expected to
be presented in a Special Session at the 27th International Conference on
Medievalism.****

2ND PLACE: The essay that earns Second Place status will be mentioned on
the International Society for the Study of Medievalism web site, and
receive $75.00 prize money. The paper will also be expected to be presented
in a Special Session at the 27th International Conference on Medievalism.***
*

3RD PLACE: The essay that earns Third Place status will be mentioned on the
International Society for the Study of Medievalism web site, and receive
$50.00 prize money. The paper will also be expected to be presented in a
Special Session at the 27th International Conference on Medievalism.****

HONORABLE MENTION: Any essay that earns an Honorable Mention status (which
may or may not happen) will be mentioned on the International Society for
the Study of Medievalism web site. The paper might also be invited to be
presented in a Special Session at the 27th International Conference on
Medievalism. ****

** --
Tammy Berberi, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of French
Director of the Honors Program
University of Minnesota, Morris
office HUM 114 | x6264
spring 12 office hours:
    Tues / Thurs 2:30-3:30 & Fri 10-12 in ACE

May 24, 2012: United Kingdom's Human Rights Record To Be Reviewed By Human Rights Council

Human Rights Council Universal Periodic Review to commence second cycle with thirteenth Working Group session to be held from 21 May to 4 June 2012


UPR Working Group to Review Human Rights Records of 14 States

15 May 2012

The thirteenth session of the Human Rights Council's Universal Periodic Review (UPR) Working Group will be held in Geneva from 21 May to 4 June during which the next group of 14 States will have their human rights records examined under this mechanism.  With the convening of this session, the UPR will have begun its second cycle of reviews. 

The group of States to be reviewed by the UPR Working Group during this session are (in order of review): Bahrain, Ecuador, Tunisia, Morocco, Indonesia, Finland, United Kingdom, India, Brazil, Philippines, Algeria, Poland, the Netherlands, and South Africa.  The meeting will take place in Room XX at the Palais des Nations in Geneva. 

Representatives of the 14 countries will come before the Working Group, which comprises the entire membership of the 47-member Human Rights Council, to present efforts they have made in fulfilling their human rights obligations and commitments, assessing both positive developments and identifying challenges.  As an integral part of the second cycle of the UPR, States under Review will also spell out the steps they have taken to implement accepted recommendations posed to them during their first review.  The reports serving as the basis for these reviews can be found at the following link: http://www.ohchr.org/EN/HRBodies/UPR/Pages/Documentation.aspx

Speaking on the occasion of the conclusion of the first cycle of the UPR during the last session of the Working Group in October 2011, the President of the Human Rights Council, Ambassador Laura Dupuy Lasserre, described the UPR as "unique process”, which provided “a comprehensive map on human rights situations around the globe.”  She added that the second cycle would prove to be a “moment of truth” for many.

For her part, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay, speaking at the Council's last session in March this year, said the second cycle “will test the mechanism’s value and credibility.”  She called on States “to be impartial, objective and realistic in assessing the human rights situation and putting forward new recommendations".

During the session, an interactive dialogue between the country under review and the Council will take place in the Working Group.  Each country review will last three and one-half hours and an additional half hour will be devoted to the adoption of the Working Group's report for each country. The review for each State will be facilitated by groups of three Council members from different regional groups, or troikas, who will act as rapporteurs.  The troikas for the upcoming 13th session were selected through a drawing of lots on 3 May.  The list of troikas for the 13th session can be found at the following link:  http://www.ohchr.org/EN/HRBodies/UPR/Pages/UPRMain.aspx

The final outcome of the session will be adopted by the plenary of the Council at its twenty-first regular session taking place in September 2012.

About the Universal Periodic Review

General Assembly resolution 60/251 of 15 March 2006, which created the Human Rights Council, mandated the Council to "undertake a universal periodic review, based on objective and reliable information, of the fulfilment by each State of its human rights obligations and commitments in a manner which ensures universality of coverage and equal treatment with respect to all States; the review shall be a cooperative mechanism, based on an interactive dialogue, with the full involvement of the country concerned and with consideration given to its capacity-building needs; such a mechanism shall complement and not duplicate the work of treaty bodies."

Subsequently, the Universal Periodic Review mechanism was established through the adoption by the Council of its “institution-building package” - HRC resolution 5/1 - on 18 June 2007, one year after its first meeting.  Among the elements of this package was the new Universal Periodic Review mechanism, which aims to ensure that all United Nations Member States, starting with the members of the Council, have their records examined in order to improve human rights conditions worldwide. Furthermore, the Council decided that these reviews would be conducted on one working group composed of the 47 members of the Council.

The UPR Working Group consequently held its inaugural session in April 2008 for the first group of States, the order for which was decided through the drawing of lots.  With the holding of this first session the first cycle took off through which all 193 United Nations Member States have had their human rights records reviewed over a four-year period; this includes South Sudan which became a Member State during the course of the first cycle.

Per Human Rights Council resolution 16/21 adopted on 25 March 2011 and decision 17/119 pertaining to the review of the Council, the second and subsequent cycles of the UPR should focus on, inter alia, the implementation of the accepted recommendations and the developments of the human rights situation in the State under review.  This resolution and decision also established that the periodicity of the review for the second and subsequent cycles will be four and a half years, instead of four, and thus 42 States would be reviewed per year during three sessions of the UPR Working Group.  Moreover, the order of reviews established for the first cycle was to be maintained.  The calendar of State reviews for the second cycle can be found at the following link:  http://www.ohchr.org/EN/HRBodies/UPR/Pages/UPRMain.aspx

UPR Reporting and Objectives

In accordance with the Council’s “institution-building package”, and as reinforced by the outcome of the Council’s review adopted last March, the three documents on which State reviews should be based are information prepared by the State concerned, which could be presented either orally or in writing; information contained in the reports of treaty bodies and Special Procedures, to be compiled in a report by the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR); and information provided by other relevant stakeholders to the UPR including non-governmental organizations, national human rights institutions, human rights defenders, academic institutions and research institutes, regional organizations, as well as civil society representatives, also to be summarized by OHCHR in a separate document.

Per the adopted institution-building package, the objectives of the Universal Periodic Review are: the improvement of the human rights situation on the ground; fulfilment of the State's human rights obligations and commitments and assessment of positive developments and challenges faced by the State; the enhancement of the State's capacity and of technical assistance, in consultation with, and with the consent of, the State concerned; the sharing of best practice among States and other stakeholders; support for cooperation in the promotion and protection of human rights; and, the encouragement of full cooperation and engagement with the Council, other human rights bodies and OHCHR.

Provisional Timetable for the Universal Periodic Review Working Group 13th Session:

Monday, 21 May

09h00 – 12h30         Review of Bahrain
14h30 – 18h00         Review of Ecuador

Tuesday, 22 May

09h00 – 12h30         Review of Tunisia
14h30 – 18h00         Review of Morocco

Wednesday, 23 May

09h00 – 12h30         Review of Indonesia
14h30 – 18h00         Review of Finland

Thursday, 24 May

09h00 – 12h30         Review of United Kingdom
14h30 – 18h00         Review of India

Friday, 25 May

09h00 – 12h30         Review of Brazil
15h00 – 18h00         Adoption of reports on Bahrain, Ecuador, Tunisia, Morocco, Indonesia and Finland

Tuesday, 29 May
09h00 – 12h30         Review of Philippines
14h30 – 18h00         Review of Algeria

Wednesday, 30 May

10h00 – 11h30         Adoption of reports on United Kingdom, India and Brazil
14h00 – 18h00         Review of Poland

Thursday, 31 May

09h00 – 12h30         Review of the Netherlands
14h30 – 18h00         Review of South Africa

Friday, 1 June

15h00 – 16h30         Adoption of reports on Philippines, Algeria and Poland

Monday, 4 June

15h00 – 16h00         Adoption of reports on the Netherlands and South Africa

Additional information on the Universal Periodic Review mechanism, including the reports for each country review can be located at the Universal Periodic Review webpage on the OHCHR website: http://www.ohchr.org/EN/HRBodies/UPR/Pages/UPRMain.aspx

Media contact:  Rolando Gomez, Public Information Officer, OHCHR, + 41(0)22 917 9711, rgomez@ohchr.org

Call for Papers: What a Life: Stage Dramas Negotiate Disability, Illness, and Facing Death

http://nemla.org/convention/2013/cfp_transnationalliteratures.html

Call for Papers: What a Life: Stage Dramas Negotiate Disability, Illness, and Facing Death

44th Annual Convention Northeast Modern Language Association (NeMLA) March 21-24, 2013 Boston, Massachusetts

The 44th Annual Convention will feature approximately 350 sessions, as well as dynamic speakers and cultural events. Interested participants may submit abstracts to more than one NeMLA session; however, panelists can only present one paper (panel or seminar). Convention participants may present a paper at a panel and also present at a creative session or participate in a roundtable.

Abstract Deadline: September 30, 2012

What a Life: Stage Dramas Negotiate Disability, Illness, and Facing Death

Since Brian Clark’s ‘Whose Life is it Anyway?’ how have stage dramas around the world negotiated a relationship to disability, chronic illness, or terminal disease using live performance to make those negotiations meaningful to audiences? Send 250-500 word abstracts (MSWord or PDF attachment) with brief bio and ‘drama’ in the subject heading to Lynda Goldstein at lyndagoldstein@psu.edu

Call for Papers: Poetry and the Body

http://nemla.org/convention/2013/cfp_womensstudies.html

Call for Papers: Poetry and the Body

44th Annual Convention Northeast Modern Language Association (NeMLA) March 21-24, 2013 Boston, Massachusetts

The 44th Annual Convention will feature approximately 350 sessions, as well as dynamic speakers and cultural events. Interested participants may submit abstracts to more than one NeMLA session; however, panelists can only present one paper (panel or seminar). Convention participants may present a paper at a panel and also present at a creative session or participate in a roundtable.

Abstract Deadline: September 30, 2012

Poetry and the Body

Papers for this panel should consider how poets represent bodies, how poetry is embodied by poets in performance, and/or how poetry may require an embodied experience of its audience. Topics may respond to theories of embodiment and material feminism; they may respond to any variety of related poetry, for example, Eliot’s Prufrock, Rich’s lesbian feminist voice, Doty’s bodies with AIDS, performance poetry, or even ambient poetry’s expectations of embodied poetic reading. Please send 250-500 word abstracts to Kirsten Ortega at kortega@uccs.edu.

Call for Papers: Disability and its Discontents (Seminar)

http://nemla.org/convention/2013/cfp_theory.html

Call for Papers: Disability and its Discontents (Seminar)

44th Annual Convention Northeast Modern Language Association (NeMLA) March 21-24, 2013 Boston, Massachusetts

The 44th Annual Convention will feature approximately 350 sessions, as well as dynamic speakers and cultural events. Interested participants may submit abstracts to more than one NeMLA session; however, panelists can only present one paper (panel or seminar). Convention participants may present a paper at a panel and also present at a creative session or participate in a roundtable.

Abstract Deadline: September 30, 2012

Disability and its Discontents (Seminar)

Recent theorizations of disability tend either to abstract disabled experience to the point of ontological indistinction or conceptualize it in terms of well-established theoretical discourses. While these moves have expanded disability studies’ potential interdisciplinary applications, they also give rise to a question that is crucial to the future of disability studies: What makes disability a different means of approaching identity theory? Please submit 250-500 word abstracts to Joel_Simundich@brown.edu and Jessica_Tabak@brown.edu.