The Wrong Kind of Special? Explorations of Race, Culture & Disability in England

Talk by Dr. Derron Wallace, Brandeis

The British educational system is marked by racial and ethnic disproportionality in special education. Black students generally, and Black Caribbean students especially, are at the highest risk of being identified as having social, emotional or behavioral difficulties. Such categorizations often lead to segregated provisions, low attainment and social stigma. Drawing on a 14 month-long comparative ethnography, this presentation explores the creative operation of racism through designations of disability. The presentation highlights why the systematic assessment of disability should be an integral part of critical race studies in education.

Sponsored by the American Studies Spiegel Family Fund, Education Studies Program, the Center for the Comparative Study of Race and Ethnicity, the Dean of the College, and Wonnacott Commons