Field School in Deaf Geographies 

Program
The Bader International Study Centre of Queen’s University (Canada) announces an innovative new Field School in Deaf Geographies to be offered during the summer of 2013. The very first of its kind, this exciting opportunity is an intensive five-week, six credit unit programme, allowing students to engage with analytical and theoretical frameworks within Human Geography, Social Science Research Methods, and European Deaf History. Our learning approach is grounded in experiential and transformative learning. To that end, students participate in the ongoing research initiatives of leading Deaf geographers and they will also have the opportunity to tour and conduct research in key institutions such as the National Archive at Kew, the British Library, and local archive offices. Research specialists in the field of Human Geography and Deaf Studies will provide instruction.

Goals of the Field School

  • To thoughtfully and critically engage with Human Geography from a Deaf cultural perspective
  • To encourage the enthusiasm and efforts of new researchers at all levels of study in this exciting new area of research
  • To foster an enriching and cooperative learning environment for both students and staff
  • To share our research with as wide an audience as possible using both new media and traditional methods

The Location
The Field School in Deaf Geographies will be held at Queen’s own Herstmonceux Castle, located in the breathtakingly picturesque East Sussex landscape of southern England. Built in 1441, Herstmonceux Castle is situated 1½ hours south of London and 2½ hours from Paris. The estate sits proudly on the edge of the Weald region, the original English home of many of the earliest European Deaf families in North America.

The Course
This six-credit package is delivered as two broad courses containing inter-connected modules designed
to engage students with different aspects of Deaf Geographies’ multi-disciplinary nature. This first
cutting-edge Field School will focus on historical Deaf Geographies in the UK. Working from a critical
Deaf cultural perspective, students will study relevant aspects of two interrelated special topic courses:
INTS 303: The Global Village – Case Studies of South Eastern England, and GPHY 370: Special Topics in
Human Geography: Theory and Methods of Human Geography. These modules will be delivered
through a combination of both lecture and seminar formats. Simultaneously to this classroom
experience, students will actively participate in primary research fieldwork projects. For example, one
such project is to investigate mid-19th century English census data in order to expand the database of
all deaf people living in Sussex in 1851.

The Summative Experience
Research should be disseminated. Thus during the fifth week of the Field School, students will participate in an academic workshop on Deaf Geographies, sharing their primary research findings via presentations to participants from around the world. After engaging in this peer review process, student findings will be published on the Field School’s website.

Participant Profile
This Field School is appropriate for undergraduate students in their third or fourth year of a program in the social sciences or history. It is research intensive and aims to help prepare students for graduate school or a career in data investigation, analysis, and presentation.

Timing and Costs
The Field School runs from 17 June to 15 July 2013. The package charge for the Field School is $6600, including 6 credit units of Queen’s University tuition; room and full board; all transport for the Field School; and fees. Students will need additional funds for personal spending, entertainment, insurance, and transport to/from the UK.

Sign Language Interpreters available on request.

For further details check our website at http://www.queensu.ca/bisc .

The deadline for application is 8 April 2013. There are only 20 spaces available, so apply early.

—
Mary Beth Kitzel
Director
Field School of Deaf Geographies
Bader International Study Centre
Queen’s University (Canada)
Herstmonceux Castle
Hailsham
East Sussex BN27 1RP
United Kingdom

deaf_geog@bisc.queensu.ac.uk

Bader International Study Centre is a limited company registered in England
Registered number: 2837809 Registered Charity No: 1025387
Registered Office: Herstmonceux Castle, Hailsham, BN27 1RN