Reflections on the passing of Chris Bell (1974-2009)

On behalf of the editors of Disability Studies, Temple U., I wish to publicly express their sadness at the death of scholar, colleague and friend Chris Bell.

Chris was an active contributor to organizations such as the Society for Disability Studies and the Modern Language Association, engaging us all to think about how to broaden the reach of, and reconceive of the reach for, Disability Studies. He sought opportunities to challenge, cojole and coax out work that engaged in questions of intersectionality and hybridity - even turning up unexpectedly at our Disability Studies public lectures last fall to engage w/ Nirmala Erevelles.

Ann Keefer and I had the opportunity to visit Syracuse for last spring's conference on Disability Studies in Education. Chis was happy to share with us his newly adopted home town, so it can be hard for us thus reconcile the confidence we saw back then with the distressed man whose life with the onset of winter's chill.

We are all better for counting him as friend and colleague, saddened to have him taken from us too soon. Details on Chris' scholarship and further tributes from his friends and colleagues can be found at Beth Haller's blog.