Call for Special Issue 26.1

“Accessibility in Moving Image Archives”

Guest Editor: Michael Marlatt
Proposals Due: October 31, 2024
Submissions Due: May 31, 2025

In July of 1990, the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) was signed. The intention of the act was to prohibit discrimination based on disability status. This special issue of The Moving Image is situated around the theme of archival accessibility to coincide with the 35^th anniversary of the signing of the ADA. Even 35 years later, representation of people with disabilities in moving image archives is low both in the literature and in employment. The goal of this special issue is to reflect on the relationship between disability and moving image archives. How is disability represented in moving image collections? Where has there been growth? What inclusion efforts still need to be made to create accessible moving image archives for users and archivists?

Themes include (but are not limited to):

• Accessibility barriers in moving image archival education and training
• Disability representation in community archives vs institutional archives
• Accessible collections for users
• Disability representation in collections material
• (In)accessible archival spaces and universal design
• Equitable hiring practises
• Web accessibility
• Accessible programming and curation
• Health hazards in moving image archives
• Archival accessibility “post-Pandemic” and the growth of remote work
• Moving image archives and mental health
• Ableism in moving image archives

Note: There is a particular interest in articles written from the perspective of those with lived experience of disability, chronic illness, and/or neurodiversity.

Types of Submissions:

• Feature articles: Double-blind peer reviewed research papers, 4,000 – 6,000 words
• Forum pieces: Shorter, less formal pieces, including interviews and “notes from the field” discussing case studies on single institutions or archivists’ own work, such as specific projects or policy initiatives, 2,000 – 3,000 words
• Reviews: reviews of recent books, media (e.g., DVDs, Blu-Rays), conferences, film festivals, and exhibitions, 700 – 1,000 words

Submission guidelines

Please send initial proposals and final submissions to special issue editor Michael Marlatt (marlattm@yorku.ca) and CC journal editor Devin Orgeron at editor@themovingimage.org.

Proposals are due by October 31, 2024, and should include: (1) a 250-word abstract, (2) four key words, (3) a 100-word bio of the author(s), (4) the type of paper you would like to write (e.g. feature article). Proposal review will be completed by mid-November 2024.

Completed manuscripts will be due for editorial review by May 31, 2025. All manuscripts should be submitted as a Microsoft Word email attachment, double-spaced throughout, using 12-point type with 1-inch margins, following the 17th edition of the Chicago Manual of Style.

Contact Information

Special issue editor Michael Marlatt can be reached for questions and feedback at marlattm@yorku.ca.