GEOG 395 A: Special Topics in Geography

Winter 2024
Meeting:
MW 1:30pm - 3:30pm / SAV 166
SLN:
22266
Section Type:
Lecture
Joint Sections:
DIS ST 384 A
Instructor:
Ronnie Thibault
TOPIC: DISABILITY GEOGRAPHIES: SPACE, PLACE & TRANSNATIONAL DISABILITY ACTIVISM
Syllabus Description (from Canvas):

Disability Geographies: Space, Place, & Transnational Disability Activism

OFFICE HOURS ZOOM LINK HERE

Instructor: Ronnie Thibault, Ph.D

Phone: 206-380-3460

Email: ronnie22@uw.edu

Monday Meeting Location: Savery Hall, Room 166 1:30 - 3:20

Wednesday Class Meeting Zoom Link HERE

Detailed Course Meeting Schedule HERE

Office Location: Smith Hall, room 019

Office Hours: Monday 12:00 - 1:00 or by appointment 

Welcome to the course!

Welcome to Disability Geographies: Space, Place, & Transnational Disability Activism! I want to acknowledge that we are meeting during unique circumstances amid difficult times. We are entering the classroom during an uncertain and particularly fraught national and global political moment. I recognize that you have all been through a tremendous amount of uncertainty over these past few years and it is my goal to create a classroom space where you feel safe to express your views, ideas, and concerns. I look forward to teaching and learning with you this quarter and will make every attempt to respond to emails in a timely manner (usually within a few hours). I also encourage student input and I strive to make course adjustments based on your feedback as the quarter unfolds.

Masks are highly recommended for all students, faculty, staff, and other members of the Disability Studies community who attend in-person class meetings, office hours, and in-person events and activities. Continuing the use of masks will help to make our learning spaces and workplaces as accessible as possible and to protect everyone, especially at this time when there are fewer COVID safety precautions on and off-campus. Please read the full Disability Studies Program statement on masking here.

Class Meetings: 

Detailed Course Meeting Schedule HERE

This hybrid course meets in person on Mondays in Savery Hall Room 166, and virtually in our Zoom classroom on Wednesdays. I will record each session and post the recordings in Canvas and all course materials are available on the course canvas site. I have organized the course into weekly modules that take you step-by-step through the content for that week. These modules include all recorded lectures, weekly in-class activities, group workshops, class media content, assignment instructions, course readings, exercises, and discussion posts. You are responsible for reading through all of the course content and for paying close attention to course announcements and weekly module updates. 

Course Description: 

This course will explore the geopolitics of disability activism in the global South as presented by disabled activists, scholars, artists, individuals, and allies located outside of 'globally Northern' territories and spaces. Transnational disability activists, scholars, and allies have criticized globally Northern disability rights movements, institutions, scholars, and organizations for overshadowing the experiences of disabled activists, individuals, and academics that are located in the global South. Tsitsi Chataika recently posed the important question, "how can there be possibilities for alliances between the global South and the global North in promoting progressive disability activism without undermining each other?" (Chataika, Sibanda, Mateta, & Sunar, 2020), this course takes an important step in response to Chataika's proposition by deeply engaging with and exploring the works, stories, and social justice endeavors of disability activists, scholars, and allies that reside in regions outside of what is conceptualized as the global North. We will learn how international disability activists define and describe the ‘Global South’ and ‘Global North’ and we will study the material ways in which this critical distinction has historically impacted disabled people in matters related to global development, world health, global conflict, humanitarianism, nation building, gender equality, chronic illness, impairment, poverty, and education. We will also explore how disability activists and scholars in the global South conceptualize and define terminologies related to the geopolitical economies of neoliberalism, colonialism, austerity, global development, the majority world, transnationalism, and postcolonialism, and we will draw on activist understandings and practices to better recognize how these discourses have impacted disabled people in real-world settings.

Weekly Readings and Reading Exercises: 

All readings are made available to you online through the course Canvas site HERE. The readings are an important piece of your learning in this class and you are expected to complete them as part of each weekly lesson. There are weekly reading exercises that you will need to complete and submit by the due date. This class is reading intensive and in addition to completing the weekly reading exercises, you are expected to come to class prepared to discuss the assigned readings. We will be exploring the words, activities, artistry, media productions, scholarship, lived experiences, and works of disabled scholars and activists, and as such, you will need to actively engage with the course materials and demonstrate your understanding of their perspectives while also expressing the meaningful ways that these voices have impacted real-world contexts and material lives. If you are struggling with a course concept or reading please feel free to reach out to me, I am happy to discuss readings and course concepts with you. 

Google MyMaps digital story mapping: 

Deep maps, narrative maps, and digital story maps are powerful tools for exploring the many ways that territories, places, communities, and individuals are shaped by cultural, social, and political factors, and for demonstrating how individuals, activists, and social movements create new meanings about their lives that can ultimately change the landscapes around them. Throughout the course, we work at the intersections of transnational critical disability studies and theories in spatial geographies to explore how disabled activists are reshaping social, political, and material spaces and places in both local and international contexts. You will work with the Google MyMaps digital mapping platform to create an interactive story map of an international disability activist group, organization, or movement that you have selected from a list provided by the instructor. We will explore deep mapping practices and learn what story maps are, what they do, and how through the process of creating qualitative digital story maps we can arrive at a deeper appreciation for the emotions of place, territory, and identity. You will practice integrating multimedia information produced by disabled activists and allies such as video, images, personal narratives, scholarship, art, graphs, and other media content onto Google My Maps to help us all better understand how your chosen organization has impacted the regional politics, social conditions, and disabled individuals that are located within the material spaces it operates. You will study and analyze your organization and write a narrative essay that you will incorporate into your final story map. Your final map will include your critical analysis of each element that you include and a bibliography.

An important Note About Google MyMaps and Google Maps digital tools accessibility features:

We will be working with Google MyMaps digital mapping tools to create digital story maps. The accessibility features in Google MyMaps are extremely limited. Blind and partially sighted students may wish to use the more traditional Google Maps for the deep mapping project. Google Maps accessibility features include keyboard navigation, shortcuts, touch input, and braille display, and the platform supports screen readers and magnifiers. If you opt for accessibility reasons to use Google Maps instead of Google MyMaps I have created a tutorial that addresses Google Maps accessibility features I will provide assignments based on the Google Maps platform for partially sited and blind students if the platform is preferable to you. Having said this, few digital platforms are truly accessible and I acknowledge Google Maps may not provide the best experience for all students with disabilities. If you wish to use an alternative platform or have one in mind, please reach out to me before week three and we will work together to come up with a mapping platform or alternative project that works best for you. The Google MyMaps and Google Maps platforms are free and available through your UW Google Apps Suite. I will lead several tutorial sessions on how to use the digital tools provided in Google MyMaps, and course-specific step-by-step tutorials will be presented in accessible formats. 

Course Participation & Engagement:

See collaborative learning and participation guidelines HERE

Basic Expectations:

  • Respect: I expect each of you to remain respectful of each other, and myself.  This class is a chance for everyone to learn and to express themselves and should remain a welcoming place to do that.  We will be engaging with ideas and concepts that may be sensitive, please take extra care to think about how your message will be received and try to give each other the benefit of the doubt.
  • Patience: In this course, you will be learning new ideas and concepts.  Additionally, we will all be working with technologies that may be new to some of you.  I will do my best to walk you through the material step by step and for material to build as the course progresses, but in order to maximize your learning, there may be moments when you are pushed outside your comfort zone, so please be patient, give it a try, and feel free to reach out for help if you need it. 
  • Keep up: I expect each of you to stay on top of course materials.  It is your responsibility to complete each week’s material. If you are struggling to keep up or to meet any course deadlines, please reach out to me so that I can work with you to find a pace and solution that works for both of us.
  • Talk to me: If something is going on in your life that is affecting your work in this class, please let me know.  I understand that we are all working in new ways, in new settings, and have varying degrees of support, technological infrastructure, etc.  If you know in advance that you are going to be unable to complete an assignment on time, please reach out.  I am happy to be flexible, but ask that you please communicate with me. 

Course Learning Goals: 

By the end of this course, you will be able to:

  • Think critically about disability activism in global contexts and explain the material ways in which activists have influenced the geopolitics of disability in the global South and the global North.
  • Learn to use digital mapping tools to construct story maps that explain the social, political, and cultural aspects of disability activism in globally Southern regions.
  • Be familiar with critical disability scholarship that is produced outside of the global North
  • Apply intersectional approaches to transnational disability
  • Contextualize globally Southern activist efforts and be familiar with the strategies, methods, and approaches they have implemented to improve disabled lives across broad geographical locations. 

Policies and Expectations: 

Privacy/FERPA statement

This hybrid course is scheduled to meet synchronously via Zoom and in person as indicated in the course schedule and all in-person classes and Zoom meetings will be recorded for asynchronous access. The Zoom recordings will capture the presenter’s audio, video, and computer screen. Student audio and video will be recorded if they share their computer audio and video during the recorded session. The recordings will only be accessible to students enrolled in the course to review materials. These recordings will not be shared with or accessible to the public. The University and Zoom have FERPA-compliant agreements in place to protect the security and privacy of UW Zoom accounts. Students who do not wish to be recorded should:

  • Change their Zoom screen name to hide any personal identifying information such as their name or UW Net ID, and
  • Not share their computer audio or video during their Zoom
  • If you do not wish to be recorded during our class sessions please contact me at ronnie22@uw.edu

Course Communication: 

It is my goal that each student in this class gain as much out of the course materials and experience as possible. I encourage you to visit me during office hours to ask questions, have a discussion, brainstorm about your projects, or make suggestions about the course. If my office hours conflict with your schedule we can arrange a different meeting time. I am very responsive to e-mails and encourage you to feel comfortable asking me questions if you find yourself struggling with materials or assignments. There is also an open discussion forum in the Canvas discussion posts section if you would like to pose a question to the class or to me: Course Q&A

Remember, if you feel you are struggling with a concept or assignment there is a good chance some of your classmates are having a similar experience. Asking questions in class or through the general discussion page is a fantastic way to collectively work through issues. Please take advantage of my office hours if you have questions, would like to discuss course material, or find you need help locating the University of Washington academic, accessibility, or counseling services.

Disability Resources for Students (DRS)

I aim to make this course accessible to all students and if there are accommodations specific to your learning approach that you would like to bring to my attention, please reach out to me at any time during the quarter. DRS offers resources and coordinates reasonable accommodations for students with disabilities. Reasonable accommodations are established through an interactive process between you, your instructor and DRS. If you have not yet established services through DRS, but have a temporary or permanent disability that requires accommodations (this can include but not limited to; mental health, attention-related, learning, vision, hearing, physical or health impacts), you are welcome to contact DRS at any time and feel free to approach me with any requirements specific to this course. Visit DRS Website

Respect for Diversity

In all contexts related to this course, students are expected to respect individual differences which may include: disability, age, cultural background, ethnicity, family status, gender presentation, national origin, personality differences, race, religious and political beliefs, sex, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, and/or veteran status. When you disagree with someone in class, please speak up, but focus your comments on the larger issues, institutions, and frameworks at hand rather than that particular person.

I strive to cultivate an inclusive learning environment for all students in this class. If you are experiencing obstacles in the class or outside of your coursework, there are medical, legal, mental health, and social-support resources available to you (generally at no or low cost) as a student at the University of Washington. I encourage you to communicate with me about any barriers to your learning that might arise throughout the quarter and we will work together to resolve them.

Many of the topics covered raise sensitive questions of ethics, identity, and policy. Students in the class have a wide range of backgrounds and experiences. For some, the information and perspectives may be completely new; others may have previous knowledge of disability, oppression, history, or representation. Please keep in mind that this course is being taught from an anti-oppressive point of view, and a principal goal is to teach and apply the academic critical disability studies and cultural studies approach. Alternative assignments can be arranged individually for students who are uncomfortable speaking in class.

Religious Accommodations Policy

Washington state law requires that UW develop a policy for the accommodation of student absences or significant hardship due to reasons of faith or conscience, or for organized religious activities. The UW’s policy, including more information about how to request an accommodation, is available at Religious Accommodations. Accommodations must be requested within the first two weeks of this course using the Religious Accommodations Request. If you are unable to fill out the request but will need accommodation, please speak with me as stated above.

Canvas:

I expect you to check the Canvas site and the email account associated with your Canvas account so that I can communicate with each of you electronically between classes. You are responsible for all materials and announcements covered during class sessions.

Academic Integrity:

Students at the University of Washington are expected to maintain a certain standard of conduct and be responsible members of the community. The Student Conduct Code defines prohibited conduct and describes how the University holds students accountable as they pursue their academic goals. 

The Use of AI:

In the context of this course, the use of AI writing tools like ChatGPT is considered plagiarism and will result in a final null score on any assignment generated through the use of AI. ChatGPT and AI writing tools have proper and beneficial applications but any use of these platforms is strictly prohibited in this class. ChatGPT is not flawless, particularly in the context of critical disability studies, and AI tools often include the precise harmful ableist language, terms, and tone that we critique in this class. Furthermore, I am explicitly interested in your understanding of the course materials, and the prompts are specifically designed to engage your critical thinking and reflection about the disabled activists and movements that we address. Having said this, I do NOT use AI detection tools or plagiarism detection software to check assignments as these tools are also proven to be both inequitable and deeply flawed.  

Avoiding Plagiarism:

Properly crediting and citing your sources is an important step in the writing process. If you have questions about how to properly cite resources, please contact me or make an appointment at the writing center. If I determine you appear to have intentionally copied work directly from a source without giving proper credit you will receive a null score on the assignment and any future instances will be referred to Academic Affairs.

Review the UW plagiarism policies

Review the student code of conduct guidelines

Inclement Weather:

Please check if the campus may be closed due to inclement weather. I will make a course announcement via our Canvas course site if there are weather closures specific to our meeting times.

Illness and emergencies:

If you are ill or have an emergency, please take care of yourself and your needs. Contact me as soon as possible during my office hours, through email, or via Zoom appointment and we can discuss your specific circumstances and devise an updated work plan.

Incomplete: 

Incomplete will be granted, barring extraordinary circumstances. Students who face major emergencies or disruptions due to serious illness or personal trauma should consider an emergency withdrawal through Student Affairs.

According to University policy, “an incomplete is given only when the student has been in attendance and has done satisfactory work until within two weeks at the end of the quarter and has furnished proof satisfactory to the instructor that the work cannot be completed because of illness or other circumstances beyond the student’s control.” If you are not able to meet that requirement, you are advised to drop the class before it is too late. 

Assessment:

Late work policy: 

IT IS ESSENTIAL THAT YOU SUBMIT ALL OF YOUR ASSIGNMENTS IN A TIMELY FASHION!!

I do understand the stresses that are intrinsic to academia and that life can and often does throw challenges and curveballs at us. I will be as accommodating as possible if you are experiencing difficulties completing your work, but you must stay in communication with me. There is a 24-hour grace period past the due date for all assignments and if you find you need additional time we can work together on a plan that is manageable and does not cause you to fall further behind. I have scaffolded the assignments in a way that means each assignment or activity meaningfully leads into the next, so it is crucial that you communicate with me if you need additional time to complete an assignment or activity or if you believe you are falling behind. If I haven't heard from you before or shortly after the grace period and you have not submitted your work, your score will be reduced by 5% for each day it is submitted past the 24-hour grace period

Throughout the quarter, we will learn to engage digital mapping tools as a research method for exploring the global disability-related organization or movement that you will select from the list provided by the instructor. We will work through each of the mapping assignment steps in our lab/workshop sessions and for each assignment, you will add a new map layer and include the required elements for the assignment in the layer that you create. A portion of your final mapping assignment grade includes your written map reflection paper, a final map link, and your presentation of your map to the class.  

Deep Mapping/Organization Narrative Project: 300 points/60%

    • Layer 1/Map Assignment #1 "Create Your Map" due January 14 (10 points)
    • Layer 2/Map Assignment #2 "Organization Selection and Mapping Worksheet "Beginning Narratives" due January 28 (50 points)
    • Layer 3/Map Assignment #3 "Relational Mapping" Due February 18 (50 points) 
    • Layer 4/Map Assignment #4 "Regional Movements and People" Due February 25 (50 points)
    • Map Presentation due the week of March 4 (40 points)
    • Final Map and Reflection Essay due March 11 (100 points)

Reading Exercises: 150 points/20%

    • Complete six weekly reading exercises by responding to the prompts provided. (25 points each) 

Collaborative Learning and Overall Participation (20%)

View guidelines HERE

    • Collaborative Learning (10%) total points determined based on activity (edit 1/15/2024).
    • Overall Participation Assessment 200 points (10%)

Grade Conversion Chart:

The University of Washington does not have a standardized procedure for converting percent scores to 4.0 scaled grades.  For this class, grades will be maintained in percent scores until final grades are calculated and will then be converted to 4.0 scaled grades using the chart below:

Grade Conversion Word docx HERE

Grade Conversion pdf. HERE

 

GE Requirements Met:
Social Sciences (SSc)
Credits:
5.0
Status:
Active
Last updated:
January 6, 2025 - 7:36 pm