Núcleo Disca

Disability and citizenship

Author Archives: Andrea Medina

  1. DISCA Millennium Nucleus seeks communications coordinator

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    In the Millennium Nucleus DISCA we are looking for a professional in the area of communications for the position of Communications Coordinator, who must have an interest in disability and inclusion issues and stand out for their proactivity, creativity and autonomy in the work.

    Its main task will be to position the Nucleus as a reference in the national discussion related to disability and citizenship, producing and disseminating content on the knowledge generated to other areas of society. 

    In addition, he/she will have to carry out media management, produce activities, carry out inter-institutional coordination, keep records of the actions of the Nucleus, among other actions of his/her work, which are detailed in the document called DISCA Communications Coordination. 

    This is a full-time job in hybrid format, with flexible schedule and attendance to defined periodic meetings. The position reports to the DISCA General Coordinator and has no staff.

    Those interested in applying must meet the following requirements:

    • Professional degree linked to the communications area. 
    • Three years of work experience in positions related to communications areas. 
    • Good writing and spelling skills. 
    • Proactivity, creativity and autonomy at work. 
    • Ability to work in multidisciplinary and diverse teams. 
    • Knowledge of accessibility measures in communications for people with disabilities. 
    • Intermediate knowledge of English, both spoken and written.
    • In addition, you must have specific knowledge in certain technological tools, described in the DISCA Communications Coordination Call document.
    • To apply, the following documents must be submitted:
    • Resume with current contact of at least 2 references.
    • A simple copy of the professional title. 
    • Motivation letter stating why you are interested in the position. 
    • The deadline for applications is Wednesday, July 19, 2023 and should be sent via email to contacto@nucleodisca.cl.

    If the applicant requires any adjustment for the evaluation process will be consulted prior to the interview. This in no case will generate discrimination in the selection process, on the contrary, seeks to ensure equal opportunities.

    Selected applicants will be invited to an online interview at the end of July.

  2. (Español) Neoliberalismo y campañas Teletón en Chile: discursos políticos contra la dictadura de la caridad

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    The manuscript aims to present the political discourses of disability dissident activists around the Telethon campaign in Chile between 2016-2020. Paying special attention to the meanings and practices that are played around the disability category. It problematizes the role played by the State and civil society in the dispute for political hegemony towards children with disabilities in Chile.

    Among the findings, the main theme is: 1) Economy of punishment: the dictatorship of charity and two sub-themes: 1.1) Manifesting discontent: actions against communicational and media authoritarianism; 1.2) Dismantling the enabling ideology: the shadow of solidarity.

    It is concluded that the difficulty in eradicating the campaign is based on a strategic alliance between the neoliberal model, charity and spectacle as a mechanism of social stratification and oppression.

  4. Online Seminar Series: Challenges in Access to Health Care for People with Disabilities

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    The Millennium Nucleus DISCA held its third online seminar, which this time addressed the existing challenges in access to health for people with disabilities.

    To this end, it was attended by:

    • María Pía Venturiello, sociologist and researcher at CONICET and the Gino Germani Research Institute, both institutions in Argentina. Specialist in the area of social studies on disability.
    • Arturo Grau Diez, ophthalmologist, associate professor at the Faculty of Medicine of the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile. Director of OcuLab UC, laboratory of social innovation in visual impairment.
    • Gerardo Hume Calderón, occupational therapist, professor at Universidad San Sebastián. Expert in inclusive local development and public projects aimed at the social inclusion of people with disabilities.

    The seminar was moderated by Elena Rotarou, principal investigator of the DISCA Millennium Nucleus and academic at Universidad San Sebastián.

    The seminar was held on Thursday, June 29, 2023, at 18:00 hours (Santiago de Chile time, GMT-4), through Zoom and is available on the Nucleus’ YouTube channel, at https://youtu.be/CpX-T4lzids. 

    The video features a sign language interpreter and instant subtitling.

    We also share additional material mentioned during the seminar:

    • Book by Pía Venturiello, “El acceso a la salud de la población con discapacidad en Argentina: demandas, barreras y derechos”, available in: www.teseopress.com/accesoalasaluddelapoblacioncondiscapacidadenargentina/
    • Health care manual for people who are deaf or have hearing loss, available at: https://uchile.cl/dam/jcr:6c58a623-2a57-4762-8ef5-ec34c5f81857/manualatencion-personas-sordas-en-salud
    • Health care manual for people who are deaf or have hearing loss, available at: https://uchile.cl/dam/jcr:eb3780a8-f934-4253-aa2f-c86ed750581e/fichasmanual

  5. Conversation with Activists: Disca Activism in Latin American Key

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    The DISCA Millennium Nucleus held the second Conversation with Activists, called “Disca Activism in Latin American Key”, a space to learn about the experiences of prominent people with disabilities.

    On this occasion, the discussion had as protagonists:

    • Eduardo Joly, sociologist and co-founder of the Network for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (REDI), Argentina. He also chairs Rumbos Accesibilidad, is Schomburg Professor, Ramapo College, New Jersey, USA, and is a member of the editorial board of Disability and the Global South Journal.
    • Carolina Vallejo, BA in Philosophy and History of Ideas and co-coordinator and researcher of the Working Group Critical Studies on Disability of CLACSO. She is currently pursuing a postgraduate degree in Philosophy at the Universidad Iberoamericana, Mexico. She has specialized diplomas in disability issues and has taught the first course on critical and interdisciplinary thinking on “dis-disability” in the Specialized Studies Program of the Pontificia Universidad Católica del Ecuador. She is also coordinator of the Seminar of Critical and Interdisciplinary Studies on “dis-disability” at the Autonomous University of Mexico City.
    • Luis Vera, sociologist, coordinator of the Unit of Support to Functional Diversity of the University of Chile and expert by experience of the Millennium Nucleus DISCA.

    The discussion was moderated by Juan Pino, principal investigator of the DISCA Millennium Nucleus and academic at the Universidad de O’Higgins.

    The activity took place on Thursday, June 15, 2023, at 18:00 hours (GMT-4), through Zoom and is available at https://youtu.be/ijZyf2E89LU

    The video features Chilean sign language interpretation and simultaneous subtitling.

    This conversation was sponsored by the Latin American Council of Social Sciences (Clacso).

  6. DISCA Millennium Nucleus holds panel on Disability and Citizenship at LASA 2023

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    • Latin American researchers from various universities worldwide participated in this panel, which seeks to position disability as a relevant topic of study in the region.

    “Disability and Citizenship in Latin America” was the name of the panel organized by the DISCA Millennium Nucleus at the Congress of the Latin American Studies Association (LASA), which was held on May 24-27, 2023, in Vancouver, Canada.

    The director of the DISCA Millennium Nucleus, Florencia Herrera, and the alternate director, Pablo Marshall, were present at the congress leading this panel, which was divided into three parts and in which different Latin American researchers participated, addressing topics such as political participation of people with disabilities, parental experiences, sexuality and reproduction, access to health, among others.

    “The congress allowed us to learn about the work of Chilean researchers and researchers from other Latin American countries in the field of disability studies and citizenship. It was very interesting to share their experiences, also because the hybrid model of the conference helped people who usually do not participate,” said the director of DISCA.

    “This is a congress that has decades of history and brings together academics from different disciplines of social sciences and humanities interested in Latin American studies, however, the topic of disability has been quite absent. Generally, there are very few presentations that address the topic of disability and -as far as we know- this is the first time that several panels are organized around disability studies,” he added.

    “One of our objectives as the DISCA Millennium Nucleus, by organizing the panel ‘Disability and Citizenship in Latin America’ at LASA 2023, is to position the topic of disability as a relevant topic of study in the region,” concluded Florencia Herrera.

    The panel included Latin American researchers from various universities around the world, such as Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú, University of Leeds and University of Western Ontario, and national universities such as Universidad Diego Portales, Universidad Austral de Chile, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Universidad de Atacama, Universidad de La Frontera and Universidad de Chile.

    In addition, among the speakers were members of the DISCA team, PhD students Constanza Lopez -who is also part of the MICARE Millennium Institute- and Camila Peralta, as well as DISCA directors Florencia Herrera and Pablo Marshall.

    The Latin American Studies Association (LASA) is the world’s largest professional association of individuals and institutions dedicated to the study of Latin America. With more than 13,000 members, more than 60% of whom reside outside the United States, LASA is the association that brings together experts on Latin America from all disciplines and diverse occupational initiatives from around the world.

    The Disability and Citizenship Millennium Nucleus (DISCA) is an interdisciplinary research center focused on the study of the processes and mechanisms through which people with disabilities become citizens. It is funded by the National Agency for Research and Development (ANID).

  9. Online Seminar Series: Reproduction and Childbearing in Women with Intellectual Disabilities

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    The DISCA Millennium Nucleus held its second online seminar, this time addressing the issue of reproduction and motherhood in women with intellectual disabilities, their barriers and challenges.

    It counted with the participation of Melissa Hichins, president of the community organization Red de Protección en Derechos e Inclusión Social (Reprodis), who addressed “Experiences of maternity support for women with intellectual disabilities: Challenges and resistance from the south” and Andrea Yupanqui, associate professor at the Universidad de Magallanes, with the topic “Forced sterilizations and other gynecological-obstetric violence: The case of women with intellectual disabilities”.

    Also present was Irinia Quilodrán, a mother with intellectual disabilities, who commented on her experience living motherhood. The activity was moderated by Florencia Herrera, director of the Millennium Nucleus DISCA.

    The seminar was held on Thursday, June 1, 2023, at 6:00 pm, through Zoom and is available on the YouTube channel of the Nucleus, at https://youtu.be/BNwididJU1U.

    The video has a sign language interpreter and instant subtitling.