CfP: Media Representations of People with Disabilities in East Asia
Media Representations of People with Disabilities in East Asia
We are seeking chapter proposals for a pioneering anthology examining how East Asian electronic media represent people with disabilities. This collection will provide the first comprehensive scholarly examination of disability representation across China, Japan, Korea, Taiwan, and other East Asian contexts, analyzing how media both reflect and shape societal perceptions of disability across different cultures and historical periods.
Electronic media has a profound influence on public understanding of disability, yet East Asian perspectives remain underexplored in existing scholarship. This anthology aims to fill that critical gap by bringing together interdisciplinary voices to examine the complex ways disability is portrayed, understood, and contested in contemporary East Asian media landscapes.
We welcome proposals addressing:
- Intersectional analyses: Disability and gender, race, ethnicity, class, sexuality, or age
- Theoretical frameworks: Medical vs. social models of disability in media representation
- Genre studies: Comedy, drama, documentaries, news media, reality television
- Media forms: Television dramas, films, anime/manga, gaming, digital platforms, social media, advertising
- Historical perspectives: Changes in representation over time
- Persistent tropes: Stereotypes, „supercrip“ narratives, inspiration porn
- Cultural contexts: How East Asian cultural values (concepts of shame, family honor, collectivism, etc.) shape disability representation and public discourse
- Comparative analyses: Cross-national or cross-cultural studies within East Asia
- Production perspectives: Behind-the-scenes insights, industry practices, creative decision-making
- Disability activism: How disabled creators and activists use media for advocacy and self-representation
- Audience reception: How representations impact public attitudes and disabled communities
Submission Requirements:
- 250-400-word abstract clearly outlining your argument, methodology, and contribution
- Brief CV (1-2 pages)
- Deadline: November 15, 2025
This project is under development with a leading academic publisher. We particularly encourage submissions from scholars with disabilities, early-career researchers, and those bringing diverse methodological approaches from media studies, disability studies, cultural studies, sociology, anthropology, and related fields.
Contact: Please send proposals and inquiries to Yasue Kuwahara at kuwahara[at]nku.edu Join us in establishing this vital new conversation about disability, media, and culture in East Asia.
Source: H-Net: Humanities & Social Sciences Online, licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 3.0 US.