Disability Watch: Longmore’s Essay

after the reading (disability watch)

Imagining an unfamiliar reader, write a 2-page response that:

— Introduces Longmore’s essay. Who is Paul K. Longmore? (you may need to google–do not rely on Wikipedia) What is his project? Summarize a particular passage in the text that was of interest to you.

— Identifies any key concepts you find striking and defines them for your reader, using Longmore’s explanations.

— Contributes 2-3 paragraphs of your own thoughts and reactions. What was new information? What aligned with what you already knew about disability and accessibility? What types of information does Longmore include? What types of information does he exclude? What’s the impact of the information he uses/doesn’t use on the reader and your own understanding? What lingering questions do you have about Longmore’s topic or his analysis?

part 2

after reading ( Jarman introduction, backpacks vs briefcases)

Imagining an unfamiliar reader, write a 2 page response that:

— Introduces Michelle Jarman’s essay. What project does she seem to be introducing?

— Identifies any key concepts you find striking and defines them for your reader

— Contributes 2-3 paragraphs of your own thoughts and reactions. How does Jarman approach disability studies? How is her approach distinct from Longmore’s? Which do you find most effective? Does she use different definitions than he does? How do they differ? How does that affect your understanding? What are the uses and limits of a chapter like this as a stand-alone reading?

Then, read Carroll’s “Backpacks vs Briefcases”.

Introduce it for an unfamiliar reader. Summarize the main idea that was most interesting to you. Make a connection to your own academic interests or previous experience with literary or rhetorical analysis. What key concepts does Carroll introduce that are helpful for you in understanding rhetorical situations? How does this essay function as a rhetorical situation unto itself? Does its rhetoric meet the needs of the problem it’s responding to?