ICDC 2017 - International Conference Dis/Ability Communication: Perspectives and Challenges in the 21st Century (ICDC-2017)

The International Conference Dis/Ability Communication: Perspectives and Challenges in the 21st Century (ICDC-2017) will be held at Rambhau Mhalgi Prabodhini (RMP), Uttan, 35km from the international airport at Mumbai, India, 9-11 January, 2017. The ICDC-2017 conference is being organized by the Department of Communication and Journalism (DCJ), University of Mumbai, in collaboration with AYJNIHH, Bandra, Mumbai, India and the research group CCD, Communication, Culture & Diversity at Jönköping University, Sweden. The ICDC-2017 conference has been organized within the framework of the Media and Disability Communication Program initiated by the University of Mumbai, India.
Background and objectives
‘Dis-Ability Communication’ focuses a continuum of abilities and constitutes a continuous process that involves people’s participation across different settings and stages of communication. The latter includes a selection of medium, creation of messages, language and dissemination of information, education and entertainment to and from persons with disabilities and others, not least those involved in rehabilitation processes. Participation processes are embedded in a matrix of ideological hegemony, including practices in society that thwart the cultural identity of persons with disabilities. This is especially the case when it comes to Deaf individuals and the Deaf community.
The global framework of the United Nations Convention of Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD), emphasizes a need for the creation of awareness on disability issues (Article-8), a requirement for accessibility (Article-9), a need for accessible information (Article-21) and the need to provide participation and accessibility to cultural life, recreation, leisure and sports. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), 15 % of the world population suffers from one or more disabilities. According to the WHO (2015), these people constitute the largest minority in the world.
The 2011 census of India highlighted that there were 26,810,557 persons with disabilities in the sub-continent of India. The 11th plan in India estimates that approximately 5-6 % of the total population comprises of persons with disability. The number of persons with disabilities is estimated to increase with the rising numbers of elderly people around the globe as well as in India, leading to further requirements for equal participation and accessibility. This background and the movement towards a digital and accessible India constitute key points of departure for the international conference ICDC-2017. The main objective of ICDC-2017 is to establish a forum for dialogue on the study of interaction, learning and identity formation. This, it is envisaged, will enable meeting challenges in approaching Dis-Ability through a participatory understanding of communication using technology.
The overarching theme for the conference relates to alternative approaches towards persons across dis/abilities, focusing on their enhanced participation using communication technologies with the potential to revisit boundaries of Time, Space and Place. Furthermore, ICDC-2017 will include the preparation and formulation of a syllabus for a Master of Arts course in Dis-Ability Communication (MADC). It will be a platform that will enable the presentation and discussion of full papers that will be considered for publication in an edited volume with an established publisher.
In addition to paper presentations, the ICDC-2017 conference will include presentations by invited featured speakers as well as panel discussions that will be led by internationally acclaimed researchers in the areas focused at the conference. Service oriented and industrial groups working in the Dis/ability sector will be invited to participate.
Confirmed international featured speakers
Professor, Dr. Sangeeta Bagga-Gupta, CCD, Jönköping University, Jönköping, Sweden
Associate professor, Dr. Ylva Lindberg, CCD, Jönköping University, Jönköping, Sweden
Assistant professor, Dr. Giulia Messina Dahlberg, CCD, University of Skövde, Skövde, Sweden
CEO Ms. Petra Weckström, Örebro County Theater, Örebro, Sweden and CCD, Jönköping University
Dr. Vinesh Hookoomsingh, Former Pro Vice-Chancellor of University of Mauritius, Mauritius
Organizing committee
Chairs
Dr. Sanjay V Ranade, BOS/DCJ, Mumbai University, India and Associate professor
Dr. Sunder Rajdeep, HOD/DCJ, Mumbai University, India and Assistant professor
Dr. Sangeeta Bagga-Gupta, CCD, Jönköping University, Sweden and Professor
Members
Dr. A.K.Sinha, AYJNIHH, Mumbai, India and Director
Dr. Giulia Messina Dahlberg, CCD, University of Skövde, Skövde, Sweden
Dr. Mathew Martin, P.J.PGDMDC, AYJNIHH, Mumbai, India and CCD, Jönköping University
Dr. Mira Desai, SNDT University, Mumbai, India
Dr. Ylva Lindberg, CCD, Jönköping University, Jönköping, Sweden
Mr. Ashay Sahasrabuddhe, PGDMDC, AYJNIHH, Mumbai University, India
Mr. Sunil Sahasrabhudhe, ISL-Cell, AYJNIHH, Mumbai, India
Ms. Anjali Kant, HOD/Speech, AYJNIHH, Mumbai, India
Ms. Anushka Kulkarni, DCJ, Mumbai University, India
Ms. Daivata Patil, DCJ, Mumbai University, India
Ms. Divya Nair, DCJ, Mumbai University, India
Ms. Lubna, DCJ, Mumbai University, India
Ms. Manjula Srinivas, HOD/Mass Media, K.C. College, Mumbai, India
Ms. Sharmila Divatia, PGDMDC, AYJNIHH, Mumbai University, India