Heavy Metal Music and Dis/Ability​ seeks authors to join this edited volume of essays.

While many metal scholars have discussed people with disabilities and their lives in/with heavy metal music informally, or as part of panel discussions, little is in publication about music and people with disabilities, let alone metalheads and disability. Studies on disability and popular music exist, but do not include the very corporeal genre that is heavy metal music.

For this collection, the editor seeks authors who engage deeply and uniquely with questions of ability, heavy metal music, and the body. In addition, this collection seeks to bridge the gap between heavy metal scholars and heavy metal practitioners, so essays, photo essays, and op-ed pieces from performers, crew members, venue staff, and so on are welcome.

In addition, this collection is focused on dis/ability: the concept of people with disabilities as different, but not separate or somehow damaged. The text will come from a disability-positive perspective, thinking in diverse ways about the intersections of dis/ability with race, class, sex, gender, nationality, ethnicity, music and sound, genre, space, and body. Areas of interest include neurodiversity, invisible disability, bodies and crowds, disability and noise, music and D/deafness. This is, however, not an exhaustive list. All perspectives and concepts are welcome.

Abstracts are sought by August 15, 2020.​ Abstracts should be 500 words with title and an abbreviated references cited page, accompanied by your Cv. ​Email abstracts to ​Clifford@ucmo.edu​ by midnight CST on/by 15 August 2020 to be considered for inclusion, write HM Disability in the subject line. ​The timetable is for essays to be prepared for external review by 15 December 2020.

This collection is edited by Amber Clifford-Napoleone, Ph.D., metal scholar and author of ​Queerness and Heavy Metal: Metal Bent, ​and independent scholar Dr. Jasmine Hazel Shadrack. Abstracts that are accepted will be notified by September 1, 2020, with first drafts of work expected in late fall 2020.