Ryan DeCarsky

I am a PhD student of sociology at the University of Washington in Seattle. I research genders & sexualities, critical disability studies, and organizational cultures. On this site, you can find up-to-date information about my community driven research projects, teaching, and general resources related to my work!

Teaching

Flyer for course. Title in large letters says “Disability and Society: Pup culture and Media. Hybrid M and W 11:30-1:20PM. Course is DIST ST / CHID / LSJ 332. Flyer Background is light pink with with 4 colored rectangles spread along the page. The first is blue and has text over it: This course will explore questions about how Disability is constructed and reflected in pop culture and media. The next rectangle is purple and has text: How do we talk about Disability in the news and on social media. There is a graphic of a hand holding 2 phones with icons of different social media apps shown. The social media apps are snapchat, instagram, facebook, and tiktok. The next rectable is tan and has text: How is Disability thought of and represented in Film and television? Next to the text is a graphic of a film director siting in a chair directing a person holding a cue card to start filming. The next rectangle is purple and has text: What are the experiences of Disabled models, athletes, and artists? Next to the text are two graphics, one of art supplies, and the other of two feminine presenting models. The final rectanlge below is blue with text: Please note this course fullfills DS major/minor subfield C diversity, representation, identity! At the bottom of the flyer it lists the isntructor Ryan DeCarsky and his email decarsky@uw.edu. At bottom left corner of flyer is a graphic showing people on a movie set and at the bottom right corner of the flyer shows a graphic of various sporting equipment.

Hybrid learning: The class will meet one day per week synchronously on Zoom, and one day per week synchronously in the classroom. The class is discussion driven; together we will critically engage with examples from film and TV, social media, fashion, sports, and art both by and about disabled peoples. By examining popular culture through a Disability Studies (DS) lens, the course will aid you in your journey to understand and consider the ways disability representations in the media reify, problematize, and/or challenge the marginalization of disabled persons.