Currently, students with interests in disability studies and the health humanities have no options for a minor or major in these fields at Duke. Duke is behind the curve, lagging behind the 112 colleges and universities that have baccalaureate programs in medical and health humanities, and the 46 colleges and universities that have disability studies programs. Why is this the case? It is not as though we lack the faculty expertise. Dr. Marion Quirici, disability studies scholar and member of Duke’s writing faculty, has been running an interdisciplinary faculty working group in disability studies and access pedagogy called the Disability and Access Initiative for four and a half years, which includes many active participants from across disciplines. This group identifies recent courses offered in 26 departments at Duke which could easily be included as electives in a Disability and Health Humanities minor. Quirici has also designed gateway and capstone courses that would provide structure and community for students pursuing the new minor. The Program in Education is enthusiastic about housing the minor, but cannot support it with their existing budget.

All Duke has to do is recognize the value of a Disability and Health Humanities program, and provide the funding to compensate one full-time faculty member and part-time staff support.

𝐖𝐡𝐲 𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐈𝐬 𝐈𝐦𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐭:

𝐃𝐔𝐊𝐄 𝐈𝐒 𝐁𝐄𝐇𝐈𝐍𝐃 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐂𝐔𝐑𝐕𝐄: the proposed minor resolves two key deficits in Duke’s curriculum (health humanities and disability studies), and provides a unique, forward-thinking interdisciplinary opportunity for undergraduate students.

𝐒𝐓𝐔𝐃𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐒 𝐖𝐀𝐍𝐓 𝐈𝐓: Previous student surveys indicate our minor will appeal not only to pre-health, humanities, and arts students, but also to students with interests in engineering, technology, the built environment, policy, education, the social sciences, and service to society. In a survey completed in February of 2020, out of ~200 respondents, over 150 students reported they would take exploratory classes in the proposed program, and 60 reported they would enroll.

𝐀𝐃𝐕𝐀𝐍𝐂𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐃𝐈𝐕𝐄𝐑𝐒𝐈𝐓𝐘 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐄𝐐𝐔𝐈𝐓𝐘: Instruction in disability studies will foster conversation about the social and cultural dimensions of the categories of disability, normality, illness and health, to examine how structural racism, classism, sexism, and ableism lead to disparities of health and healthcare.


𝐏𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐢𝐩𝐥𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐀𝐢𝐦𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐎𝐮𝐫 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐦:
--To create conceptions of wellness not centered on norms
--To engage in intersectional analysis, decentering whiteness, patriarchy, and competitive standards of productivity
--To deconstruct hierarchies of power, such as the doctor-patient relationship
--To rethink the care economy and promote interdependence above independence
--To build holistic access in our university, communities, and society
--To incorporate accessible, antiracist, abolitionist, and decolonial pedagogies, and embrace embodied and alternative ways of learning

𝐃𝐞𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐬:

1) A fully developed proposal for a Disability and Health Humanities minor is being delivered to the curriculum committee. Approve the proposal!

2) The resources needed to run this minor are modest, and its anticipated impacts are immense. Invest the resources needed to launch and sustain the program.

3) The proposed minor is a direct response to student demand. Respect student input. Support the continued growth of the curriculum through collaboration with students and their values of accessibility, flexibility, diversity, and interdisciplinary opportunity.

Sign our petition to show Duke you support this minor!