"While the history of accessible travel and tourism is intertwined with the disability rights and independent living movements, sharing their triumphs and setbacks, it has its own landmark events, advocacy organizations, heroes and villains." So begins the first article of volume 2, number 2 of the journal Review of Disability Studies.
The piece is entitled, "Toward a Global History of Inclusive Travel", by Laurel Van Horn, M.A. of the Open Doors Organization and by José Isola, President of the Peruvian Polio Society. In my opinion, one of the landmark events in the progress of inclusive travel is RDS' decision to publish this volume. I am proud to have had the opportunity to edit it - and moreso to have been associated with the scholars whose work is the heart of this issue of the Review of Disability Studies.
Congratulations to those who researched, wrote (and rewrote) for this first examination of travel, disability, and Universal Design from within the field of Disability Studies!
The Review of Disability Studies: An International Journal
Volume 2, Issue 2
Copyright 2006
Table of Contents
Forum: Travel and Tourism, Through the Lens of Disability Studies
Introduction – Scott Rains, Guest Editor
Toward a Global History of Inclusive Travel – Laurel Van Horn, United States & Jose Isola, Peru
Invention of Accessibility: French Urban Public Transportation Accessibility from 1975 to 2006 – Muriel Larrouy, France
Ethnobotany on a Roll! Access to Vietnam - My Lien Nguyen, United States
No. 1 Piano Paralympic in Japan – Lee-ching Heng, Malaysia
Making an Impact: The Benefits of Studying Abroad – Michele Scheib, United States
Optimization of Hotel Reception and Accommodation Service Management for Guests with Disabilities – Marina Flores, Russia
Universal Management: A Proposal to Change the Direction of Accessibility Management in the Australian Tourism Industry to Create Benefits for All Australians and Visitors to Australia – Peter Rice, Australia
Disability Classics
How Long Must We Wait? - Beth Omansky & Mike Oliver
Research Articles
Learning from Each Other: A Theoretical and Applied Overview of the Relationship Between Disability Studies and Peace Studies – Mike Clear & Frank Hutchinson
RASEM Squared: Assisting Students in their Transition to the STEM Workforce –Joseph Misquez, William McCarthy & Stephen Stile
Learning Disabilities, the Missing Discussion in Disability Studies: Is There a Possibility for Alliance? - Waseem Mazher & D. Kim Reid
RDS Information
Subscription Form
Travel and Tourism Through the Lens of Disability Studies
Scott Rains, D. Min.
Zero Divide Fellow, Community Technology Foundation of California
The purpose of this Forum is to establish the topic of travel as a legitimate and illuminating area of inquiry within the broader realm of Disability Studies. My hope is to provide a volume containing works that will be foundational as well as evocative of future lines of research. To that end, this Forum began with a call for papers addressing four topics:
• The history of inclusive travel (travel accommodating those with disabilities)
• The impact of travel on self-identity and disability culture(s)
• The representation of travelers with disabilities in the myth and practice of the travel and hospitality industry
• The place of Universal Design in the sustainability of inclusive travel
History
“Toward a Global History of Inclusive Travel,” by Laurel Van Horn and Jose Isola, is the first published attempt to document the history of inclusive travel. Van Horn, from the USA, and Isola, from Peru, trace this development as one of many topics within the disability rights movement. The authors bring extensive personal knowledge of the emergence of a movement promoting inclusive travel and its maturation process.
Muriel Larrouy examines the development of the disability rights movement in her native France in the article, “Invention of Accessibility: French Urban Public Transportation Accessibility: 1975 to 2004.” She writes as a sociologist through the lens of Baker’s theory of the moral enterprise. Her study analyzes the campaign for accessible public transit in France and the transformative effect on both disability advocacy groups and the definition of disability.
Self and Cultural Identities
An ethnobotanist, My Lien T. Nguyen plunges into the complex intersections created when a Vietnamese-American, wheelchair-using scientist undertakes field research in Vietnam. Part travelogue – recounting the logistical realities of travel and suggesting practical solutions - and part orientation to the work of ethnobotany, “Ethnobotany on a Roll! Access to Vietnam,” also contributes to an understanding of the impact of individuals with disabilities upon their chosen professions.
Malaysian pianist, Lee-chin Heng, reports as a participant in the “No. 1 Piano Paralympic in Japan,” the first Piano Paralympics held in Tokyo, Japan during January, 2005. The event included 99 musicians with disabilities selected from around the world for their high achievement. The tension between great personal accomplishment and the demands of travel with a disability is manifest in various glimpses of the value often attributed to disability cultures – interdependence.
Michele Sheib moves the dialogue on identity forward with, “Making an Impact: The Benefits of Studying Abroad.” Writing from the Mobility International, USA’s National Clearinghouse on Disability and Exchange, Sheib compares the experiences of ten study abroad alumni with published accounts from the general study abroad alumni population and draws out the implications for identity creation.
Travel and Hospitality Industry
The travel and hospitality industry occupies a gatekeeper role in the universe of travel options for those with disabilities. Marina Flores of Russia observes the hospitality industry from within the profession. Her contribution on representation of travelers with disabilities, “Optimization of Hotel Reception and Accommodation Service Management for Guests with Disabilities” is based on original research she has undertaken to measure attitudes toward guests with disabilities and their reflection in the behavior of hotel management and staff.
Universal Management is a concept incorporating the seven principles of Universal Design into the policies and processes of business. Australian Peter Rice provides an in-depth overview of Universal Management in an article of the same name and applies it to inclusive tourism in the Australian context.
Acknowledgements
The production of a work such as this Forum is a collaborative effort. I am grateful for the support of the editors of the Review of Disability Studies, Steven E. Brown and Megan Conway. Their policy of encouraging submissions from previously unpublished authors attracted me to this project and added to its richness. It has been a privilege to work with each of the authors who contributed their work.
With hindsight the years 2004 and 2005 may be revealed as a turning point in the effort to open the travel and hospitality industry to full participation by travelers with disabilities. Australia, Brazil, and Mexico held national conferences on the topic. Taiwan, Japan, Brazil, Germany, and England held regional or international conferences. It is an auspicious time for RDS to bring this dialogue into the heart of the academy with the launch of this Forum.
Scott Rains, D. Min. is a ZeroDivide Fellow of the Community Technology Foundation of California and Director of Programs and Services at SeniorNet, an international organization specializing in technology education for seniors by seniors. He speaks internationally on the topic of travel and Universal Design and the development of tourist destinations. Dr. Rains recently completed a year appointment to the Center for Cultural Studies of the University of California Santa Cruz as Resident Scholar pursuing independent research on the topic. He publishes the Rolling Rains Report on Universal Design, Travel & Disability at http://www.RollingRains.com. He may be reached at srains@oco.net.
Toward a Global History of Inclusive Travel
Laurel Van Horn, M.A.
Open Doors Organization
&
José Isola, President
Peruvian Polio Society
Abstract: This paper provides an overview of the development of inclusive travel and tourism, from its origins in the United States and Europe following World War I and II to its current status as an increasingly important and viable movement worldwide. The paper investigates the key roles played by disability organizations, disability rights legislation, technological change, international organizations and pioneers within the travel and tourism industry. Developments are described sector by sector for air travel, ground transport, the cruise lines and the hospitality industry. While the primary historical focus is the U.S., the paper also highlights advances taking place in Dubai, Egypt, India, Japan, South Africa, Thailand and other countries. It concludes with a case study by José Isola of the development of inclusive travel in Peru. Mr. Isola also describes disability conferences that took place in South America in 2004. It is hoped others will begin to investigate the development of inclusive travel in their own countries and regions and contribute to a truly global history.
Key Words: inclusive travel, disability movement history, accessible travel
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Posted by rollingrains at July 10, 2006 04:21 PM