SAVE THE DATE: 19 - 21 April, 2021
“Recent years have seen a surge in the number of scholarly debates dedicated to the history of disability, which aim to reposition the modern understanding of disability by placing the concept in cultural-historical, political, and social contexts. The guiding contention of such studies is that disability is not merely an individual ailment but a social construct, which in turn sheds light on the cultural values of a given society. On the Sinological sphere, several important studies were published which focus on specific bodily or cognitive impairments; yet so far, no effort has been made to juxtapose the different findings and understand what, at large, constitutes ‘disability’ in early China. This workshop will bring together academics to discuss this question and examine topics relating to disability and bodily impairment in early and medieval Chinese history, with an eye on their socio-political implications.”
Contact Dr. Avital Rom: ahr33@cam.ac.uk
