DHI 2027

Call for Presentations

Call for Proposals

DHI 2027 theme: The Deaf Museum “Journey Back in Time”

Exploring and Preserving Deaf Heritage

Around the world, Deaf communities have developed their own unique histories, cultures, and sign languages. Through photographs, films, documents, and other historical records gathered from many countries, this conference invites visitors on a journey through time to discover the richness and diversity of Deaf heritage.

By exploring these shared memories and experiences, we not only deepen our understanding of the past but also strengthen our connection to the present and our responsibility for the future.

We hope this conference will inspire conversations among participants and create opportunities for researchers, historians, museum professionals, and community members to exchange ideas, share experiences, and discover new perspectives together. Through these encounters, we hope to foster greater understanding and appreciation of Deaf heritage and inspire its continued preservation and transmission to future generations.

Proposal types

Proposals can be made for presentations, workshops, posters, or film screenings. Proposals can be submitted in signed or written formats. Send all proposals, any questions, or additional ideas for proposal types to dhi2027sc@jiiga.com.

Presenters may use International Sign (IS), Pro-Tactile IS, Japan Sign Language (JSL), spoken Japanese, or spoken English. The event will provide IS and JSL interpreting and real-time captioning in English and Japanese. Interpreting services for any other languages will need to be arranged by presenters themselves.

Presentation, workshop, poster, and film topics

Presentations, workshops, posters, and film should align with either the theme (The Deaf Museum) or with the wider field of Deaf history (including Deaf culture and identity). We welcome a wide range of topics, including but not limited to the following:

Event theme-related topics

1.Museum Studies & Exhibition Methodologies

"Exploring Exhibition Design and Accessibility Based on Deaf Space"

Overview:

Museums often rely on sound, such as audio guides. How can exhibitions be designed from a Deaf perspective? Examples include clear sightlines, good lighting, and exhibits explained directly in sign language.

2.Historical & Cultural Anthropological Perspectives

"Preserving Deaf History and the Identity Formation of Deaf Communities"

Overview:

How does recording and exhibiting Deaf history affect Deaf communities around the world? Examples include exhibitions at Gallaudet University (USA), plans for a Deaf museum in Japan, and records kept by Deaf communities themselves, such as histories of Deaf education and of the ban on sign language.

3.Sociological & Inclusive Society Perspectives

"The Role of Deaf Museums as a 'Contact Zone' Connecting the Hearing and the Deaf"

Overview:

How can a Deaf museum be a meeting place where hearing visitors learn about Deaf culture and see sign language as a language, rather than seeing deafness only as a disability? Examples include sign language workshops and dialogue events.

4.Management & Digital Archival Perspectives

"Preserving 'Dynamic Sign Culture' Through Digital Technology and Sustainable Museum Management"

Overview:

Sign languages have no written form: bodily movements themselves constitute the language and must be recorded on video. How can we preserve sign languages, including regional and traditional signs, using tools such as video archives, 3D motion capture, AI, VR, or online Deaf museums?

5.Community Stories & Personal Histories

"Sharing Deaf Lives, Memories, and Community Treasures"

Overview:

You do not need an academic background to take part. Share stories from your Deaf club, Deaf school, sports team, or family; old photographs, films, objects, or documents; or your own experience of collecting and passing on Deaf history in your community.

Wider field of Deaf history-related topics

Research on Deaf history: Share your latest findings, innovative methodologies, and insights into the study of Deaf history.
Museums and accessibility: Discuss Deaf-focused museums, museum guides, and how Deaf history is archived and shared with communities.
Diversity and global perspectives: Presentations reflecting the diversity of Deaf histories and lived experiences from different countries and cultures are highly encouraged.

Topics not among the examples listed above are welcome and encouraged to be submitted. We are particularly interested in new and unique contributions that broaden our understanding of Deaf history and its connection to contemporary issues.

Application Form

Consent Form（PDF）

ボタン

Presentation proposal format requirements

Proposal type	Signed	Written
Language	International Sign (IS) Japan Sgin Language(JSL)	English, Japanese
Format	.mp4 or .mov video file	MS Word .doc or .docx Arial or Times New Roman 12 point font
Presentation Title	Signed or listed in title screen	Centered, bold, and capitalized
Presentation Abstract	Maximum 4 minutes long	Maximum 500 words
Presenter Info	Name(s), position(s), and affiliations of all presenters Include contact details for main contact person For video proposals, presenter info can be included in e-mail
Presenter biographies	Maximum 1 minute long each	Maximum 100 words each
Technical Requirements	Describe any special requirements we may need to consider other than using PowerPoint
Specify Presentation Language (choose from the following)	International Sign (IS) Japan Sgin Language(JSL) Other (please specify)
Additional Instructions	In your e-mail, include any passwords required to access your video file and a: Weblink to your video file (YouTube, Vimeo or Google Drive) Notification of sending video via WeTransfer or Hightail Do NOT send a DVD

Workshop proposal format requirements

Proposal type	Signed	Written
Language	International Sign (IS) Japan Sgin Language(JSL)	English, Japanese
Format	.mp4 or .mov video file	MS Word .doc or .docx Arial or Times New Roman 12 point font
Presentation Title	Signed or listed in title screen	Centered, bold, and capitalized
Presentation Abstract	Maximum 4 minutes long	Maximum 500 words
Presenter Info	Name(s), position(s), and affiliations of all presenters Include contact details for main contact person For video proposals, presenter info can be included in e-mail
Presenter biographies	Maximum 1 minute long each	Maximum 100 words each
Technical Requirements	Describe the workshop's: •Expected goal(s) •Duration •Anticipated (breakout) group size • Activity setting(s), including seating requirements (if: semicircular or circular seating and clear sightlines) •Any special or equipment requirements other than PowerPoint
Specify Presentation Language (choose from the following)	International Sign (IS) Japan Sgin Language(JSL) Other (please specify)
Additional Instructions	In your e-mail, include any passwords required to access your video file and a: Weblink to your video file (YouTube, Vimeo or Google Drive) Notification of sending video via WeTransfer or Hightail Do NOT send a DVD

Poster proposal format requirements

Proposal type	Signed	Written
Language	International Sign (IS) Japan Sgin Language(JSL)	English, Japanese
Format	.mp4 or .mov video file	MS Word .doc or .docx Arial or Times New Roman 12 point font
Presentation Title	Signed or listed in title screen	Centered, bold, and capitalized
Presentation Abstract	Maximum 4 minutes long	Maximum 500 words
Presenter Info	Name(s), position(s), and affiliations of all presenters Include contact details for main contact person For video proposals, presenter info can be included in e-mail
Presenter biographies	Maximum 1 minute long each	Maximum 100 words each
Specify Poster Language (choose from the following)	English, Japanese
Specify Poster Language (choose from the following)	English, Japanese

Poster Format
・Dimensions: Portrait, 100 cm high x 90 cm wide
・Content should be readable from a distance of 2 meters
・Charts/diagrams must have a minimum line thickness of 1 mm
・Font type: Arial
・Font sizes: Title (4 cm); Subtitles (2.5 cm); Text (0.8-1.2 cm); Diagrams (0.6 cm)
・Main title/subtitles in capital letters and bold
・Text in small capitals, not bolded

Film proposal format requirements

Send your film and the following information to dhi2027sc@jiiga.com

・Film title and short description (500 words or less) in English, Japanese
・Name(s), position(s), and affiliations of all filmmakers
・Contact details for main contact person
・If different from the above, name and contact details for the person(s) attending the event to 　represent your film at the film screening
・Which language(s) your film is in
・An unlocked download weblink that transfers a copy of your film via a major file transfer service 　(ie: Google Drive, WeTransfer, etc.) or a YouTube or Vimeo weblink to your film

Timeline

Presentation, workshop, poster, and film proposal submission deadline:15 December 2026

Acceptance/rejection notifications to all proposals: End of May 2027
Presenters whose proposals have been accepted must register for the event. Presenters’ registrations will be allowed at the Early Bird Rate.

PowerPoints, final film versions, and other supporting notes: May 2027
PowerPoint files, final film versions, and any other supporting notes for your poster showing or film screening discussion must be sent by this date for event organizers and interpreters' preparation. If no such files have been received by this date, the DHI 2027 Organizing Committee reserves the right to cancel your presentation, poster showing, or film screening.

Signed papers for video event proceedings: September 2027
Presentations and selected workshops will be video recorded at the event for inclusion in the signed/video event proceedings. Presenters have the option of submitting a self-filmed video to be published instead of their event-recorded presentation. All self-filmed videos must be submitted by the deadline, otherwise event-recorded videos will be used.

Written papers for published event proceedings: September 2027
Any papers received after this date may not be included in the proceedings.

Consent form notice: Participants making a presentation or presenting a poster or film will be required to sign a consent form to cover their contribution to the event and to permit themselves to be filmed and/or photographed. This gives DHI and the DHI 2027 Organizing Committee the ability to place participants' contributions into the DHI Conference Archives and have participants' contributions available for editing and inclusion in the DHI 2027 event proceedings and for future distribution via TV, Internet, social media, the DHI newsletter, or other media. Participants still retain their right to publish or disseminate their event contributions elsewhere. This cooperation is important to preserve and widely disseminate Deaf history research.