Society for Disability Studies

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To bring together a a global imagination to the 2010 SDS conference, This year's conference will take place in Philadelphia Pensylvania at the Temple University. To be held from June 2 to June 5 of 2010, the conference anticipates bringing scholars from around the nation and many countries. Respond to this year's conference theme "disability in the global imagination" by applying to submit a proposal for the 2010 conference.

Read the following introductory letter from the Temple University to learn about what Philadelphia has to offer.

Philadelphia Highlights

Cheese Steaks, History, and Temple University

Just as the Institute on Disabilities at Temple University began the serious planning involved in hosting the June 2010 SDS Annual Meeting, we were greeted with the news that Philadelphia’s three decades long cheese steak war ended. The news that television pop psychologist, Dr. Phil, mediated a settlement of this war of words between two of Philadelphia’s landmark cheese steak emporiums located on opposite sides of 9th and Passyunk in the Italian Market section of Philadelphia was greeted with excitement and relief.

Although we’re delighted with this news, those of us at the Institute on Disabilities never doubted our ability to provide our SDS conference guests with an exciting conference in an urban city environment with an abundance of attractions that include the famous Philly cheese steak. Cheese steaks aside, Philadelphia has much more to offer as a global crossroads in keeping with this year’s conference theme: “Disability in the Geo-Political Imagination.” Our guests will find a diversity of lodgings and food at bargain prices that reflect the ethnic multiplicity of our population as a microcosm of the world. Within a short ride by subway, bus, or taxi from the Temple campus, you’ll find yourself nestled in the bustle of Center City in downtown Philadelphia.

Although the downtown area is viewed by many to be the heart of the city, the soul of Philadelphia is to be found in Independence National Historical Park. Not so much a park as it is a chunk of Philadelphia real estate on which the history of the United States dating from the pre-revolutionary war period to the present is contained. Independence National Historical Park is within a short walk from Center City and houses Independence Hall, Liberty Bell Center, Congress Hall, First Bank of the United States, National Constitution Center, Benjamin Franklin’s grave, and the President’s House Site Commemoration where an archeological dig is underway that recently uncovered evidence of the living quarters of the slaves who served President George Washington and Martha Washington in the "White House" from 1790 to 1800 while Philadelphia was the capital of the United States.

Other aspects of Philadelphia history of particular interest to our SDS conferees include Pennsylvania Hospital, the nation's first medical unit founded in 1751 by Benjamin Franklin and Dr. Thomas Bond; the Mütter Museum, founded to educate medical students about anatomy and human medical anomalies; Benjamin Rush, a signer of the Declaration of Independence and an early opponent of slavery as well as capital punishment. Just across the Delaware River at Harleigh Cemetery in Camden, New Jersey is the burial site of disabled American Poet, Walt Whitman. Philadelphia was one of the cities that writer, poet, editor, and literary critic Edgar Allan Poe lived and worked in during much of his life.

Temple University ranks 34th in size in the United States among colleges and is a premier research and learning center with strong ties to the Philadelphia community. Primarily situated in North Philadelphia, the university continues a tradition of providing educational opportunity to a diverse population of local, national, and international students. From modest roots in the landmark Baptist Temple to an impressive array of modern facilities, the university reflects diversity in all aspects of life. Students come to Temple from the far corners of the world and become a part of the second largest concentration of college students in the United States. Temple University is also neighbor to the University of Pennsylvania, Villanova, St. Joseph’s University, Cheny College, Girard College and many other fine universities and colleges.

The Temple University Conference Center in the Howard Gittis Student Activity Building is fully accessible and all meeting rooms are equipped with smart technology. Within the residence halls which will be made available to conference attendees, there are 34 ADA compliant rooms. Among the many hotels serving the Philadelphia area are a number offering special rates for SDS conference participants.

We look forward to meeting you in Philadelphia and anticipate an exciting, vibrant conference that will be talked about for years to come. We anxiously anticipate your arrival.

-- Marc Holmes, Disability Studies Academic Program Coordinator, Institute on Disabilities, Temple University