Call for papers: Remote Access Archive panel at 4S 2026 (Toronto
Written By:
Aimi Hamraie
March 11, 2026
Call for papers
We invite applications to Disabled Life at a Distance: Tracing Histories of Remote Access, an open panel at the Society for Social Studies of Science (4S) conference October 7 - 10, 2026, in Toronto. Applications are due April 30, 2026 (more info below).
Disabled Life at a Distance: Tracing Histories of Remote Access
The Remote Access Archive documents disabled peoples’ uses of technology for remote participation, both before and during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The archive is the result of a four-year research process conducted by an all-disabled team within the Critical Design Lab, a remote collaborative of disabled artists, designers, and researchers. The archive, launched in 2025, includes oral histories, documents, and artefacts from twentieth and twenty-first century histories of remote access. The archive, along with research tools and digital exhibitions, are presented in an accessible digital format at https://www.criticaldesignlab.com/project/remote-access-archive.
This open panel organized by members of the project team invites presentations that engage with the materials in the Remote Access Archive. We seek presentations that use archival materials to explore the broader contexts of remote access, crip technoscience, disability cultures, digital media, and communication technologies, among other topics. Potential participants may propose traditional academic talks, as well as multimedia presentations and creative explorations. We hope for this panel to open discourse on remote access within STS and to seed future collaborations amongst the panelists.
The deadline for submission is April 30th.
Submissions should be made through the 4S Conference Website here: https://www.4sonline.org/call_for_submissions_toronto.php
For help navigating the submission website, please see this video: https://www.loom.com/share/83b7de2e5e7e494d99d77141d1524f2f?sid=834b6af8-b2f8-4076-a67d-cba4da1e8c90
Independent/community scholars are encouraged to apply. We can help with conference registration fees if they are a barrier to participation.
If you have questions, please reach out to the panel co-convenors, Dr. Aimi Hamraie (ahamraie@yorku.ca) and Dr. Kelsie Acton (kelsieacton@gmail.com).