Disability Studies and Action Collaborative

Disability Culture, Scholarship, and Community

Disability Studies and Action Collaborative

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Disability Studies and Action Collaborative

Welcome to the Disability Studies and Active Collaborative (DSAC). We were founded at Western Washington University in 2019 by a group of students, faculty, staff, alumni, and members of the local community. We have two major components to our work.

On one side, we seek to promote the field of disability studies, an interdisciplinary subject that explores the cultural and social experiences of disabled people, now and throughout time. We wish to draw new students and faculty into this exciting field of study, and to create new venues where disability studies scholarship can be shared.

On the other side, we seek to help bridge the gap between academia and the broader community by providing programs and events where people with many different connections do disability can meet and learn from each other. We wish to learn about and contribute to addressing issues of disability rights within our local community and beyond.

What this Website Contains

We update this website frequently throughout the academic year, so some things may have changed since your last visit. Find the navigation links on the right side of the screen.

  • DSAC Network discusses the large group of students, faculty, and staff who make up this broader community. 
  • WWU Disability Studies Institute discusses the new interdisciplinary institute for critical disability studies at Western, including links to archived pages documenting our processes for establishing the institute.
    • Click on the 2023 ICDS Showcase tab to learn more about our first full year as an institute.
  • Events and Announcements includes major institute new and upcoming event details.  You can also find an archive of events in calendar form through our Events page, including a link to the archived materials from our 2019 DSAC UnConference.  
  • Critical Disability Studies Program discusses the academic program in development, including a listing of new DISA coursework now available and in development.  You can also learn about the new Minor in Critical Disability Studies!
  • Student Employment & Scholarships includes undergraduate and graduate student job opportunities, as well as available scholarship, internship, and independent study opportunities as they arise.

The WWU DSAC Network

The DSAC Network meets throughout the academic year to work on programs related to DSAC’s mission. The DSAC Network is comprised of approximately 50 people from Western Washington University, including students, staff, faculty, program directors, deans, administrators, and university trustees. To learn more, email icds@wwu.edu 

Our current projects include:

  • Developing student support and mentorship programs for students and faculty with disabilities
  • Hosting public events such as symposia, speaker series, conferences, and workshops
  • Establishing an institute in disability studies at Western Washington University – Launched Spring 2022!
  • Establish an academic program, including new courses under the DISA course prefix, as well as creating a minor in critical disability studies

Recent News & Events

More News and Announcements…

2022 2023 2024 arts AY 2021-22 critical disability studies Curriculum Curriculum Subcommittee dance Development and Outreach Subcommittee DISA disability Disability Studies Institute Disability Studies Minor DSSC Events faculty Fellowships film festival Forums Fundraising Graduate Teaching Assistant GTA ICDS ICDS Fellows Program Interim Advisory Council jobs Listening Sessions Mark West Scholarship Programs Subcommittee scholarships scholarships and internships Student Employment UnConference WWU Give Day

Click to join the DSAC outlook group for email, newsletters, and events