[Candrama] The S Word: Stanislavsky & Neurodiversity (May, 2025)

[Paul Fryer]

*Call for Papers and Contributions -The S Word: Stanislavsky & 
Neurodiversity*

/Alternative formats (large print, easy read and coloured background) 
are linked at the end of this call out/

*Information/Summary*

The S Word in partnership with the University of Notre Dame London 
presents Stanislavsky & Neurodiversity - *Friday 2nd (online only) and 
Saturday 3rd of May 2025.*

The symposium is co-convened by Zoë Glen, Klara Hricik and Kira Morsley, 
working in collaboration with the University of Notre Dame London, Jay 
Paul Skelton, and Siiri Scott.

Stanislavsky & Neurodiversity is a hybrid symposium event in 
continuation of the Stanislavsky and… series which brings into focus the 
work of Stanislavsky in relation to the neurodiversity paradigm and 
movement.

*We welcome proposals for papers (15 minutes), workshops (30 - 45 
minutes), conversations and panel discussions (45 - 60 minutes) or 
materials such as posters/pre-recorded video etc. *We also welcome 
participation in new and/or non-traditional formats that reflect your 
specific content, processing style or needs.

We particularly welcome international contributions, and are aiming to 
accommodate a range of time-zones. Given this, we will be holding an 
online session on the afternoon/evening (UK time) of Friday May 2nd, 
followed by a hybrid event in the daytime of Saturday 3rd of May, with 
the in-person element held at the University of Notre-Dame London.

The symposium serves as the key source for 'Stanislavsky & 
Neurodiversity', an upcoming title in a series of books to be published 
by Routledge under the banner 'Stanislavsky & …' that focuses on the 
legacy and teaching of Konstantin Stanislavsky in the context of major 
contemporary themes and creative/performance genres.

*Full Call for Papers*

The neurodiversity paradigm is the idea that variation in neurological 
functioning is a valuable and natural form of human diversity. The 
neurodiversity movement focuses on advancing the rights of 
neurodivergent people and neurominority groups (e.g. learning disabled 
people, autistic people, dyslexic people). In bringing together the 
voices of neurodivergent actors, actor trainers and researchers, 
Stanislavsky and Neurodiversity asks what these differences can offer 
practice, and how we can deconstruct barriers to facilitate this.

Stanislavsky and his contemporaries were working in a time before the 
conceptualisation and scientific understandings of neurodiversity. In 
the context of training today, this prompts a reconsideration of 
Stanislavskian practices. As training settings endeavour to be more 
neuroinclusive, this is a timely moment to engage in-depth with how 
Stanislavskian practice can be reconfigured through engagement with 
neurodiversity theory and disabled and neurominority voices.

We are taking an inclusive definition of neurodivergence, encompassing 
neurominority groups and experiences (including but not limited to 
autistic, adhd, dyslexic, dyspraxic, learning disabled and tourretic 
people), specific neurological conditions (e.g. epilepsy), and also 
including neurodiversity approaches to madness and mental health 
differences.

These reconsiderations and proposals may respond to questions such as:

●What specific challenges or barriers does the work of Stanislavsky and 
his successors present in relation to neurodiversity and how might we 
address this? (e.g barriers for those with differences in imagination, 
social processing, sensory processing, focus)

●How can Stanislavskian practice be made more accessible to particular 
neurominority groups? (autistic people, dyslexic people etc)

●How can the experiences, traits and strengths of different 
neurominority groups create new perspectives or approaches to 
Stanislavsky’s work?

●Where is neuronormativity present in modern day teachings of Stanislavsky?

●What new potentialities can ideas from neurodiversity theory and 
research bring to Stanislavskian practice? (e.g neuroqueering, 
neurocosmopolitanism, monotropism, the double-empathy problem)

●Where does Stanislavsky’s work align with the principles of the 
neurodiversity paradigm? (e.g. demonstrating understanding of natural 
variation in cognitive function)

●How may we bring other practices into conversation with the work of 
Stanislavsky to create more neuroinclusive practice?

●How do conversations around neuroscience and psychophysical 
training/Stanislavskian practice account for/not account for neurodiversity?

●How can we consider intersectional approaches to neuroinclusion in 
Stanislavskian practice?

●How are neurodivergent-led theatre-companies using Stanislavsky’s ideas 
in their work

**

*Community Involvement*

Proposals should centre on the lived-experience of neurodivergent 
people. We particularly encourage submissions from neurodivergent 
researchers/practitioners, or research that has had community involvement.

This symposium is convened by an all-neurodivergent team, across which 
there is lived experience of autism, adhd, dyspraxia and dysgraphia, and 
their intersections with physical disability.

*Proposals*

We encourage proposals in a range of formats, including but not limited to:

●Written proposal of 200 - 300 words

●Voice note or video proposal of around 2 - 3 minutes

●A visual communication of your proposal (diagram or mind map)

●A zoom discussion with the one or more of the conveners - please email 
us if you’d like to request this

In addition to your proposal, please also include the following in your 
application:

●Short biography (up to 100 words)

●If you’d like to present online or in-person

●The format of your proposal (e.g. workshop, presentation, panel etc.) 
and any technical/resource requirements

●Location/time-zone and any availability constraints

We’d also invite you to include information on the involvement of lived 
experience/neurodivergent communities in your research. This will not be 
shared with anyone other than the conveners.

Please send these to:

Zoë Glen (zoeelizabethglen at gmail.com)

Klara Hricik (klarahricik at gmail.com)

Kira Morsley (kiramorsley at hotmail.com)

*The deadline for submissions is February 3rd *

Successful proposals will be confirmed by March 1st

*About The S Word*

The S Word is a collaborative international research project with 
partners in the UK, Europe, USA and Australia. Founded by Bella Merlin 
and Paul Fryer, the project explores the legacy of Stanislavsky's work 
within a contemporary context. The S Word is supported by The 
Stanislavsky Research Centre, co-hosted by the University of Leeds and 
the University of Malta

Alternative Formats:

Large Print: Large Print - Call for Papers and Contributions -The S 
Word: Stanislavsky & Neurodiversity 
<https://docs.google.com/document/d/1cF2226aUBubUQIFXL_llzEAdSQuuCLoQ0yB1ou0WGb0/edit?usp=sharing>

Coloured Background:

Coloured Background: Call for Papers and Contributions -The S Word: 
Stanislavsky & Neurodiversity 
<https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Cvh-nHMt7tAYWVdhxVPm34GcuJ1lrso561-0gGBGAxE/edit?usp=sharing>

Easy Read:

Easy Read - Stanislavsky and Neurodiversity Callout.pdf 
<https://drive.google.com/file/d/1zch-ZtLBRmc8u4D7YbTruwVfjGV2-XkH/view?usp=drive_link>

-- 
Prof. Paul Fryer PhD, FRSA, FHEA.
Visiting Professor, School of Performance and Cultural Industries, University of Leeds.
Visiting Professor, School of Arts and Creative Industries, London South Bank University.
Hon. Visiting Professor, School of Arts and Digital Industries, University of East London.
Co-Director, The Stanislavsky Research Centre.
Founding Editor, Stanislavski Studies and Series Editor, Stanislavsky And...(Routledge/Taylor & Francis).
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://artsservices.uwaterloo.ca/pipermail/candrama/attachments/20241126/874623ae/attachment-0001.htm>