7.) Reconfiguring Ability: Limitations as Possibilities

Classroom Activities:

• Discuss the Nancy Mairs’ essay. One of the most important points in this piece is her discussion about how her writing voice got stronger as her physical body became weaker. Given that we tend to equate personal agency with physical ability, how does Mairs experience offer alternative ways of thinking about the connections between our bodies and our sense of ourselves?
• In class writing assignment (20 minutes): What limitation (physical or psychological) do you have that you can re-imagine as a place of personal power and social agency?
• In groups of two or three, read one another’s writings. Come together as a class to share the small group observations.

• Start
• Primary Sources
• Introduction
• 1.) Exploring the Connections Between Bodies and Machines
• 2.) Human/Machine Interactions
• 3.) Exploring the Connections Between Technology and Technique
• 4.) The Highly Skilled Body
• 5.) Continuum of Ability in Dance
• 6.) Ability and Autonomy / Re-conceptualizing ability
• 7.) Reconfiguring Ability: Limitations as Possibilities


• Comment on this module

• VIDEO

• Circlewalker
• Circlewalker:
  low, medium, high bandwidth
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• Streb
• Wild Blue Yonder:
  low, medium, high bandwidth
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• Candoco
• Outside/In:
  low, medium, high bandwidth
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• TEXT

• Whammers, Streb takes no prisoners
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• “Carnal Acts”
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• The Other Body – Reflections on difference, disability, and identity politics
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• Bodies and Machines: Circle Walker: Notes and Context
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• Elizabeth Streb Biography
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• Commentary: Valuing Life, whether disabled or not
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