A New Journal Is Born
David Pfeiffer, Ph.D.
Center on Disability Studies
University of Hawaii at Manoa

      The need for a new journal for the field of disability studies has been declared for some time and from various perspectives. Without naming them there are only four journals which characterize themselves as being in the field of disability studies. There is one journal published in the United Kingdom which was very international, but over the last several years it has almost exclusively published articles written from the viewpoint of the social model, used qualitative methodology, and had a sociological orientation. There is a second journal published in the United Kingdom which was very international, but it was written from the viewpoint of medical rehabilitation, used narrow quantitative methodology, and had a medical orientation. It often publishes articles which downplay the role of people with disabilities. There is nothing wrong with these orientations (except for discounting the views of people with disabilities), but they are not the only ones.
      Crossing the Atlantic there is a third journal published in the United States which was not very international, was written from the viewpoints of vocational rehabilitation and special education, and used various methodologies and orientations. It was short on articles using the disability paradigm. There is a fourth journal published in the United States which was moderately international and was open to various viewpoints and methodologies. It strongly endorsed the disability paradigm, welcomed younger scholars and non-academics, and attempted to be a forum for essays and poetry as well as research articles. It is presently undergoing a reorganization and it is too early to tell what its future may bring. Members of the governing board of the association which owns it often were dismayed at what they saw as a social science orientation of its articles. They called for articles to be published which showed a post-modern, humanist orientation. There is nothing wrong with these orientations, but again they are not the only ones.
      There are some journals which focus only on one disability or experience. They are narrow and usually are concerned with "best practices" and similar things. There also were a number of special symposiums concerned with disability studies published in journals which are identified with the traditional academic disciplines. Although these symposiums and forums were worthwhile, they were only occasional outbursts of disability studies scholarship and writing. In other words, the outlets for disability studies scholars is limited outside of the four journals just described.
      Disability studies is a growing field. There are a number of approaches and orientations in the field. The existing journals do not provide enough opportunity for the established and the emergent scholars in the field. In addition they all fail in their intent to be international. In part it is because of the language of publication and in part it is because of problems of outreach. There is a need for a journal which attempts to be very international, welcomes all orientations, publishes anonymously refereed research, and is an outlet for writers who do not wish to take the time nor do they need anonymous refereeds endorsements.
      The Center on Disability Studies, University of Hawaii at Manoa, is attempting to meet these needs by starting the publication of a new journal, The Review of Disability Studies: An International Journal. The new journal will contain peer reviewed research articles, essays, and bibliographies relating to the culture of disability and the experience of people with disabilities. It will also publish forums on disability topics brought together by forum editors of international stature. Poetry, short stories, creative essays, photographs, and artwork related to disability are also invited. Reviews of books, films, videos, art, music, and photographs relating to disability will be included.
      These items will be reviewed to ensure a high standard of professional quality by an in-house and external editorial staff with the highest qualifications and reputation. If appropriate and specifically requested, a manuscript will be anonymously reviewed by two outside peer reviewers and this fact will be noted when it is published. There are many scholars who are in a tenure track position or who are applying for promotion who must have anonymously peer-reviewed publications. While we neither condone nor agree with the power struggles which this requirement represents and we do not concede that anonymous peer reviews guarantee quality, we do understand that many academics and non-academics as well exist in such a milieu. In any event, The Review will represent quality in all of its published writings. 
      The Review will be published on the Web and will be produced in a print version. The first two issues will be freely available on the Web, but a subscription is necessary to obtain printed copies. The charter subscription price is $50 US for individuals, $25 for students, and $100 US for libraries and institutions with a $15 US fee for postage outside of the US and Canada because it will be sent via air mail in order for it to arrive within a reasonable time. Student-subscription rates are available. 
       The Review is open to all perspectives, approaches, views, and paradigms relevant to the study and experience of disability. There will be no one view represented with one caveat. Any submission based on the functional, deficit view of disability will be questioned. The editors can conceive of an article written from this viewpoint which can make a contribution, but since the deficit view of disability causes prejudicial behavior and pejorative attitudes toward people with disabilities it will be carefully evaluated. Generally, such a perspective is not considered to be within the purvey of disability studies. In fact, it is considered to be the antithesis of the study of disability and people with disabilities. In addition, any inspirational story or writing will be considered outside of the field of disability studies because the deficit view is implicit in it. 
      There are a few journals which are read by persons working in the field of developmental disabilities, in the field of disability studies, and in the field of gerontology. They each appear to have their own sphere of research and publication with many persons in gerontology even refusing to consider disability to be a legitimate concern beyond being a deficit which has to be dealt with. The Review will attempt to bridge this gap. The editors of The Review consider this gap to be an artificial and a non-productive one.
      In addition there are few journals which are truly international in authorship, readership, and concerns. The Review will attempt to remedy this unfortunate situation. 
      There are few journals which publish material from authors who describe themselves as humanists with a post-modern perspective using a qualitative methodology and at the same time from authors who describe themselves as social scientists using a quantitative methodology. There are a number of scholars who bridge both these descriptions and they have a hard time finding an outlet. The Review welcomes both perspectives as well as humanists who use quantitative methods and social scientists who use qualitative methods. It is not the methodology used, but whether the appropriate methodology was used to draw conclusions. 
      The extensive experience, training, and publication record of the editors will guarantee that we will live up to these expectations. Our independence shields us from undue influence from any one perspective. Our integrity and professional dedication motivates us to accomplish our goal. We will be guided and counseled by our evaluators and referees and other staff. We extend a welcome to all of our readers and ask you to join us in achieving the goals of The Review. Feel free to contact us at <rds@cds.hawaii.edu> and to send manuscripts and other material to <submissions_rds@cds.hawaii.edu>. The guidelines for contributions as well as a submission form and a subscription form can be downloaded from <www.rds.hawaii.edu>.