What is DARK?

The Disability Action Research Kollective (DARK) is a multidisciplinary group of disabled researchers who write short, free, accessible publications aimed at the general public. Topics so far have included disability history, cultural critique and disability rights. At the core of the project is reclaiming disability history and promoting disabled identity. While each publication has its own specific purpose, they are generally a blend of entertainment and education. 

DARK began as a means for disabled scholars to promote their disability research outside academia. The average academic paper is read by a small handful of people, and there are so many barriers to reading the work that it is unlikely to filter into the public consciousness. DARK publishes directly to subscribers, including various archives and Disabled People’s Organisations globally. The production team has grown to hundreds of members, with multiple different topics in production at any time. This has all been done by unpaid volunteers, who believe in the vision and aims of the project. 

DARK has eleven publications completed and has plans for at least a hundred more. Currently available publications include disability in ancient Egypt; a history of the wheelchair from the year 500AD; disabled civil rights activists and anti-slavery campaigners, exploring why the gap exists on UK trains; disabled gods from world mythology; tools for analysing disability portrayals in film; and a disabled critique of the utopia in Star Trek. Publications currently in development include short biographies of disabled leaders, exploring the intersection between sexism and ableism, critiquing portrayals of disability in horror movies, and a reader’s digest with summaries of Disability Studies books. To view current or subscribe to future publications, follow this link: https://linktr.ee/disabilityark    

How can I get involved?

The project is run by DLN member Richard Amm, who won the Snowdon Scholarship to complete an MSc in Disability, Design and Innovation at UCL. The DLN promoted the project to its membership, initially to find contributors for a publication on the history of Disabled Leaders. This publication had so many contributions it was expanded to three volumes, stretching from 34,000 BCE to the modern era. At time of writing, roughly 25 of 60 entries remain unwritten, and additional volunteers are most welcome. Disabled or non-disabled people interested in contributing should email Richardamm(at)gmail.com to be added to the production document, and volunteer to write an entry of 120-140 words in the format outlined in the document. No specific experience or topic expertise required, though it is recommended that you familiarise yourself with some of what we have published so far.