Symposium
Dear readers of Ideas in All,
As new editors, we are extremely happy to take on this position. We have seen the significant growth of the blog in the past year and its increased popularity. We hope to maintain this momentum while keeping pace with the evolving interdisciplinary research conducted by the Assisting Living and Learning (ALL) Institute.
We thank the outgoing ALL-Blog Editorial Team on the first anniversary of the ‘Ideas in ALL’ Blog for their fantastic work in expanding the blog and soliciting post from an invaluable network of leading experts in the field of disability, public health, law and social policy. As we take up our positions as the second ALL-Blog Editorial Team, we realize that we must strive to maintain the excellent standard and energetic impetus attained by our colleagues during their work on the blog in its embryonic phase. Despite the challenges of founding and growing a professional research blog during a global pandemic, the blog has already expanded to become an influential academic commentary on contemporary physical, social, political, and conceptual dimensions of society in the twenty-first century and resultant levels of accessibility, ableism, ageism, and mobility restriction therein.
We are beginning our sojourn as editors on an exciting note with this online symposium of articles showcasing some ideas and critical approaches to disability topics to mark the one-year anniversary of the Blog. In another time, we would have tried to celebrate this occasion with an in-person event, but unfortunately COVID-19 continues to have other ideas. Nevertheless, we will attempt to celebrate this occasion in a socially distanced but still enthusiastic manner.
Each of us also want to add a personal note on their motivation and commitment to this blog, so that you get to know us better!
Hannah
“Although only in existence for a short period of time, the ALL Institute has proved itself to be a driving force for disability on an interdisciplinary scale. With this knowledge in mind, I accepted this editorial post from the desire to be a part of an endeavour that has already striven to champion the voices of people in the community and highlight diverse perspectives. This is something I am currently trying to do in my own work, and I was delighted to be given the opportunity to work with such a dedicated and inspired team of people who share that desire.
I am honoured to take a position as one of the editors for the ALL Blog: Ideas in ALL. it is an important tool to communicate what is going on in the area of disability, both in Ireland and abroad. It is my hope that my fellow editors and I will be able to take the blog in a successful direction, with diverse and far-reaching posts. Last year’s editors certainly leave large shoes to fill, but we hope we are equal to the task. It is our goal to continue to ensure the blog retains its accessible format and continues to reach out to a universal audience. Too often, academic writing endeavours live behind paywalls and technical jargon. It is our mission to ensure this blog continues to defy this tradition.“
Matthew
“I joined the new editorial team alongside my colleagues, Hannah and Léa, to learn from and promote the knowledge-sharing and vocational awareness-raising work undertaken by the growing number of ALL Blog contributors and contacts from external organisations in civil society, government, and through people with lived experience with disability. The awareness-raising efforts of the ALL Blog help to promote leading research perspectives, policy developments and views of persons who live with a disability through the ethos of ‘nothing about us without us’.
To this effect, the ALL-Blog helps to educate society on the importance of disassembling the physical, social, legal and conceptual barriers faced by persons with disabilities. This comprises a particularly important aspect of public advocacy, as emphasised by Article 8 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) 2006 on ‘Raising Awareness’. The ALL Blog provides a forum for cross-sectoral expression and sharing of perspectives on social barriers faced by persons with disabilities. This contributes to the disassembly of policy heterogeneity and allows for greater and more fluid concordance and information sharing across divergent spheres of society to promote awareness and quantifiable change towards the goal of an equally accessible and non-discriminatory society for all persons, irrespective of ability, mobility and age.“
Léa
“As you will have gathered, the ALL-Blog is entering its second year, which I am sure will present its own challenges but I am delighted to be on board with my fellow co-editors.
Building on the legacy of our predecessors, we are very excited to take over and continue to develop the blog, always striving to deliver person-centred, thought-provoking and accessible posts. In the future, we intend to provide our readership and future contributors with an accessible platform for interdisciplinary and multi-faceted research, as well as for discussions on topical issues, always aiming to promote inclusion, empowerment and participation through research. There are exciting projects currently underway at the ALL Institute and powerful stories to tell, we look forward to sharing them with you via this blog.
On a more personal note, I am grateful to be part of this venture and to join such a multidisciplinary team. I am confident that being able to interact with Matthew, Hannah and our contributors will positively change the way I approach my own research. I expect that 2022 will bring novel ideas, broaden our horizons, and challenge preconceptions. I hope that you can relate, and you will enjoy reading and contributing to the Ideas in ALL blog”
Happy Reading!
Hannah, Matthew and Léa