Editor's Introduction, Winter 2009

This issue features a special section of selected papers from a conference immediately following the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in May 2008. "A Call for Action on Poverty, Lack of Access and Discrimination" was the focus on the international conference held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia and hosted by Leonard Cheshire Disability, in collaboration with the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa. See: http://www.lcint.org/?lid=4048

As usual, there are also excellent peer-reviewed articles. This issue features a trio of those:

• a thorough examination of the human rights of children with disabilities in Israel by Dina Feldman;
• a critical discourse analysis of how one special education teacher deconstructs disability, her pedagogical practice and work with students who are labeled as having disabilities by Jong-Gu Kang;
• another critical discourse analysis, this one by Margaret Price, of 17 accessibility policy documents produced by 8 different professional organizations about their conferences and materials with regards to access and accommodations (and attitudes) for people with disabilities as participants in their professional spaces.

Fine poetry, tasty and tasteful cultural commentary, and a nice arrangement of delectable book and film reviews also-as usual-complete the plate of offerings in this Winter 2009 issue. Dig in, begin . . . .

And while you are indulging, don't forget to check out the "Calls for Papers and Announcements." Among other things, we have a call for applications and nominations for the Disability Studies Quarterly Editorial Board there! Why not consider joining the family!