Disability History Month seminar series

The University of Wolverhampton is presenting a series of lunchtime seminars for Disability History Month.

You can reserve your free place for all events, or an individual event, through Eventbrite: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/disability-history-month-lunchtime-seminars-tickets-130678219071.

Staff, students and the general public are all invited to attend the seminars.

Thursday 3rd December 2020 at 1pm – ‘Inclusive Practice Seminar on Neurodivergence’

On International Day of Disabled People, the University begins its new monthly series of Inclusive Practice Seminars with Anita Goldschmied.

On introducing her talk, Anita writes:

“But you are not dribbling, how come?” - living with a late diagnosis of autism, my mum said I was unbearable and needed space.

My colleagues said I was self-absorbed and overly organised. My best friend argued I was just too smart for my own good. Galen, the psychiatrist, the fifth or the sixth by this time, gave me an article about a chap who was in his seventies when he was diagnosed with Asperger Syndrome.

This was Galen’s way of hinting his suspicions that I too was autistic, ‘But look,’ he said, ‘You’re still young enough to embrace it.’

For others, I am a nutter, a quipster, or at times, simply Anita. So this is how it is then, being disabled?

I am Anita Z Goldschmied, learning disability nurse, social worker, senior lecturer, and PhD candidate in contemporary theory and research.

My recent book chapter positioned in Actor-Network-Theory considers 10 affects of hidden, mental disabilities and the act of disclosure (affect is a capacity to change) in the various stages of research.

Monday 7th December 2020 at 1pm - ‘The Shopkeepers of St Dunstan’s: From Blind Veterans to Businessmen and Breadwinners’

Dr George Gosling, Senior Lecturer in History, talks about an unexpected finding from his research into the historical relationship between charity and retail. The charity Blind Veterans UK, as St Dunstan’s, provided training and support for blinded soldiers during the First World War. Ultimately they would support over a hundred blind veterans to become independent shopkeepers. Their story offers up an unusual perspective on British histories of veteran life, shop-keeping, masculinity and disability.

Wednesday 16th December at 1pm – ‘Psychological PPE: Covid-19 Impact on Mental Health of the Nation’

Dr Hana Morrissey, Reader in Clinical Pharmacy, looks at the impact Covid-19 has had on people’s mental health, what steps can be taken to ensure Covid-19 doesn’t exacerbate mental health issues and what can be done to help people recover from any damage done.