Can a blind person do a post-doc in the humanities?











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I’m about to finish my PhD in Sociology. I’m from Pakistan, and I’m totally blind. My PhD research was quite interdisciplinary. I studied factors influencing environmental concern about environmental problems in Pakistan, as well as factors influencing environmental behavior at home. Now I want to do a post doctorate from anywhere in Europe, North America, Australia or New Zealand.



Can my blindness be a factor in acceptance / rejection of my application?



If not, what should be my first step for finding a post doctoral opportunity? My research interest is in the domains of environmental sociology and environmental psychology.










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  • 1




    Welcome to Academia.SE. I edited your question to remove the "shopping" question and clean up a bit. Feel free to make edits if I ruined anything. Also, note that we encourage one question per post -- you may want to move the last paragraph in particular to a separate question.
    – cag51
    yesterday






  • 2




    Following @cag51's edit I also removed the last paragraph; as cag51 mentioned, we encourage one question per post and your second question was not in any way connected to the rest of the question or the title. (normally I don't like to make edits that remove content that has already been answered, but only cag51's answer touched on this part and they already raised it as a problem with the question, so I feel it was appropriate)
    – Bryan Krause
    yesterday








  • 1




    Lot of respect for you Faiz! Will you like to share your full name or any of publication as I am really interested in reading your work.
    – Failed Scientist
    11 hours ago










  • Anecdotally, I went to graduate school for English literature in the United States. There were two other graduate students in the department who were legally blind.
    – Scribblemacher
    10 hours ago















up vote
29
down vote

favorite












I’m about to finish my PhD in Sociology. I’m from Pakistan, and I’m totally blind. My PhD research was quite interdisciplinary. I studied factors influencing environmental concern about environmental problems in Pakistan, as well as factors influencing environmental behavior at home. Now I want to do a post doctorate from anywhere in Europe, North America, Australia or New Zealand.



Can my blindness be a factor in acceptance / rejection of my application?



If not, what should be my first step for finding a post doctoral opportunity? My research interest is in the domains of environmental sociology and environmental psychology.










share|improve this question









New contributor




Faiz is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
















  • 1




    Welcome to Academia.SE. I edited your question to remove the "shopping" question and clean up a bit. Feel free to make edits if I ruined anything. Also, note that we encourage one question per post -- you may want to move the last paragraph in particular to a separate question.
    – cag51
    yesterday






  • 2




    Following @cag51's edit I also removed the last paragraph; as cag51 mentioned, we encourage one question per post and your second question was not in any way connected to the rest of the question or the title. (normally I don't like to make edits that remove content that has already been answered, but only cag51's answer touched on this part and they already raised it as a problem with the question, so I feel it was appropriate)
    – Bryan Krause
    yesterday








  • 1




    Lot of respect for you Faiz! Will you like to share your full name or any of publication as I am really interested in reading your work.
    – Failed Scientist
    11 hours ago










  • Anecdotally, I went to graduate school for English literature in the United States. There were two other graduate students in the department who were legally blind.
    – Scribblemacher
    10 hours ago













up vote
29
down vote

favorite









up vote
29
down vote

favorite











I’m about to finish my PhD in Sociology. I’m from Pakistan, and I’m totally blind. My PhD research was quite interdisciplinary. I studied factors influencing environmental concern about environmental problems in Pakistan, as well as factors influencing environmental behavior at home. Now I want to do a post doctorate from anywhere in Europe, North America, Australia or New Zealand.



Can my blindness be a factor in acceptance / rejection of my application?



If not, what should be my first step for finding a post doctoral opportunity? My research interest is in the domains of environmental sociology and environmental psychology.










share|improve this question









New contributor




Faiz is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.











I’m about to finish my PhD in Sociology. I’m from Pakistan, and I’m totally blind. My PhD research was quite interdisciplinary. I studied factors influencing environmental concern about environmental problems in Pakistan, as well as factors influencing environmental behavior at home. Now I want to do a post doctorate from anywhere in Europe, North America, Australia or New Zealand.



Can my blindness be a factor in acceptance / rejection of my application?



If not, what should be my first step for finding a post doctoral opportunity? My research interest is in the domains of environmental sociology and environmental psychology.







application postdocs job-search disability






share|improve this question









New contributor




Faiz is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.











share|improve this question









New contributor




Faiz is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.









share|improve this question




share|improve this question








edited 19 hours ago









Community

1




1






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asked yesterday









Faiz

14824




14824




New contributor




Faiz is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.





New contributor





Faiz is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.






Faiz is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.








  • 1




    Welcome to Academia.SE. I edited your question to remove the "shopping" question and clean up a bit. Feel free to make edits if I ruined anything. Also, note that we encourage one question per post -- you may want to move the last paragraph in particular to a separate question.
    – cag51
    yesterday






  • 2




    Following @cag51's edit I also removed the last paragraph; as cag51 mentioned, we encourage one question per post and your second question was not in any way connected to the rest of the question or the title. (normally I don't like to make edits that remove content that has already been answered, but only cag51's answer touched on this part and they already raised it as a problem with the question, so I feel it was appropriate)
    – Bryan Krause
    yesterday








  • 1




    Lot of respect for you Faiz! Will you like to share your full name or any of publication as I am really interested in reading your work.
    – Failed Scientist
    11 hours ago










  • Anecdotally, I went to graduate school for English literature in the United States. There were two other graduate students in the department who were legally blind.
    – Scribblemacher
    10 hours ago














  • 1




    Welcome to Academia.SE. I edited your question to remove the "shopping" question and clean up a bit. Feel free to make edits if I ruined anything. Also, note that we encourage one question per post -- you may want to move the last paragraph in particular to a separate question.
    – cag51
    yesterday






  • 2




    Following @cag51's edit I also removed the last paragraph; as cag51 mentioned, we encourage one question per post and your second question was not in any way connected to the rest of the question or the title. (normally I don't like to make edits that remove content that has already been answered, but only cag51's answer touched on this part and they already raised it as a problem with the question, so I feel it was appropriate)
    – Bryan Krause
    yesterday








  • 1




    Lot of respect for you Faiz! Will you like to share your full name or any of publication as I am really interested in reading your work.
    – Failed Scientist
    11 hours ago










  • Anecdotally, I went to graduate school for English literature in the United States. There were two other graduate students in the department who were legally blind.
    – Scribblemacher
    10 hours ago








1




1




Welcome to Academia.SE. I edited your question to remove the "shopping" question and clean up a bit. Feel free to make edits if I ruined anything. Also, note that we encourage one question per post -- you may want to move the last paragraph in particular to a separate question.
– cag51
yesterday




Welcome to Academia.SE. I edited your question to remove the "shopping" question and clean up a bit. Feel free to make edits if I ruined anything. Also, note that we encourage one question per post -- you may want to move the last paragraph in particular to a separate question.
– cag51
yesterday




2




2




Following @cag51's edit I also removed the last paragraph; as cag51 mentioned, we encourage one question per post and your second question was not in any way connected to the rest of the question or the title. (normally I don't like to make edits that remove content that has already been answered, but only cag51's answer touched on this part and they already raised it as a problem with the question, so I feel it was appropriate)
– Bryan Krause
yesterday






Following @cag51's edit I also removed the last paragraph; as cag51 mentioned, we encourage one question per post and your second question was not in any way connected to the rest of the question or the title. (normally I don't like to make edits that remove content that has already been answered, but only cag51's answer touched on this part and they already raised it as a problem with the question, so I feel it was appropriate)
– Bryan Krause
yesterday






1




1




Lot of respect for you Faiz! Will you like to share your full name or any of publication as I am really interested in reading your work.
– Failed Scientist
11 hours ago




Lot of respect for you Faiz! Will you like to share your full name or any of publication as I am really interested in reading your work.
– Failed Scientist
11 hours ago












Anecdotally, I went to graduate school for English literature in the United States. There were two other graduate students in the department who were legally blind.
– Scribblemacher
10 hours ago




Anecdotally, I went to graduate school for English literature in the United States. There were two other graduate students in the department who were legally blind.
– Scribblemacher
10 hours ago










2 Answers
2






active

oldest

votes

















up vote
26
down vote



accepted










In the United States there's what is known as the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)



which prohibits discrimination based on disabilities and mandates reasonable accomodations. Full or partial blindness will definitely fall under that category, and so they are legally prohibited from discriminating against you and if hired will work with you to help out. Many other locations have similar laws. In Canada the laws vary from province to province, but most of Canada has similar laws. Many (although not all) European countries have similar laws or regulations as well.






share|improve this answer

















  • 4




    Are you certain that the ADA grants disabled people without the US citizenship the same rights as far as US universities and companies are concerned? If so, could you please expand your answer to reflect that?
    – undercat
    14 hours ago








  • 9




    @undercat Yes - "All employees who work in the U.S. or its territories -- American Samoa, Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands -- for covered employers are protected by EEO laws, regardless of their citizenship or work authorization status".
    – ff524
    14 hours ago






  • 4




    @undercat The OP is seeking employment as a postdoc. The ADA applies to all aspects of the employment relationship, including recruitment and hiring.
    – ff524
    14 hours ago










  • @ff524 I've re-read the link and you are actually correct. It is unfortunate I've seen too many loopholes with those laws, at least as far as foreign nationals with disabilities are concerned.
    – undercat
    13 hours ago








  • 1




    @undercat It's a consequence of the 14th Amendment in the US: "...nor shall any state deprive any person of life, liberty or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws."
    – Joe McMahon
    6 hours ago


















up vote
21
down vote














Can my blindness be a factor in acceptance / rejection of my application?




As others have said, most Western countries have laws preventing discriminating against you due to blindness. However, the standard is that they you must be able to do the work given a "reasonable accommodation" -- i.e., they could reasonably prevent you from flying a plane or being a sharpshooter, as there is no reasonable way they could enable you to do the job. Since you did your PhD research already, it seems likely that you can do the work despite your handicap.



Note, however, that most post-docs are filled (at least in my experience) by interviewing with a professor or small group of professors. Most professors want to do the right thing; however, it is difficult to do an apples-to-apples comparison between two candidates at the best of times.



At any rate, all you can do is apply and hope for the best.




Are there any helpful websites that I can frequently check for available post doctoral opportunities?




I don't know (and "shopping questions" are actually not allowed here).




Is it necessary that my research should be on a population of a country where I’m studying for my post doc? i.e., if I’m studying in New Zealand, and I want to collect data from people in Pakistan, is this discouraged?




I don't know your field, but I seriously doubt this would be a problem. Here in the US, at least, there is plenty of research into different regions of the world.




What should be my first step for finding a post doctoral opportunity?




I would start by talking to your advisor, trusted old professors, or friends to find out where such jobs are typically announced. They may also be willing to introduce you to their network.



If the goal is a faculty position, I would consider reading Karen Kelsky's book -- plenty of advice there about best practices for preparing for and interviewing for a faculty position; though the book is widely written, she is an anthropologist and has lots of advice that seems like it would apply well to your situation.






share|improve this answer





















  • What would the problem with piloting a plane or sharpshooting be? Both of these things are well within the capabilities of a blind person given reasonable accommodations and proper training. Sighted people tend to think of these things in terms of what they could imagine themselves doing with their eyes closed. This it not a good way to estimate the capabilities of a blind person.
    – De Novo
    10 hours ago












  • I'm surprised, but I'll take your word for it, I admit I don't have a good intuition for how to judge the capabilities of a blind person. At any rate, I was just trying to explain reasonable accommodation, and I think we agree that OP is likely protected by the ADA et al (though as I said, hard to prove discrimination in hiring, especially in research)
    – cag51
    10 hours ago










  • @DeNovo FAA regulations for pilots' license do include visual acuity requirements (there are some exceptions, e.g. for those with monocular vision, but these are limited). And the US armed forces also enforce vision requirements to be eligible for sniper training. Neither of these requirements are in violation of the ADA.
    – ff524
    9 hours ago










  • @ff524 the US armed forces is specifically exempt from the ADA. FAA regulations should probably be challenged, though there are a variety of legal complications given the structure there. I've been hoping someone would bring that suit for a while.
    – De Novo
    9 hours ago












  • @ff524 regardless, I'm not sure why the fact that one or another institution discriminates against blind people should be evidence that blind people don't have the capability to do a certain thing.
    – De Novo
    9 hours ago











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2 Answers
2






active

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2 Answers
2






active

oldest

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active

oldest

votes






active

oldest

votes








up vote
26
down vote



accepted










In the United States there's what is known as the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)



which prohibits discrimination based on disabilities and mandates reasonable accomodations. Full or partial blindness will definitely fall under that category, and so they are legally prohibited from discriminating against you and if hired will work with you to help out. Many other locations have similar laws. In Canada the laws vary from province to province, but most of Canada has similar laws. Many (although not all) European countries have similar laws or regulations as well.






share|improve this answer

















  • 4




    Are you certain that the ADA grants disabled people without the US citizenship the same rights as far as US universities and companies are concerned? If so, could you please expand your answer to reflect that?
    – undercat
    14 hours ago








  • 9




    @undercat Yes - "All employees who work in the U.S. or its territories -- American Samoa, Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands -- for covered employers are protected by EEO laws, regardless of their citizenship or work authorization status".
    – ff524
    14 hours ago






  • 4




    @undercat The OP is seeking employment as a postdoc. The ADA applies to all aspects of the employment relationship, including recruitment and hiring.
    – ff524
    14 hours ago










  • @ff524 I've re-read the link and you are actually correct. It is unfortunate I've seen too many loopholes with those laws, at least as far as foreign nationals with disabilities are concerned.
    – undercat
    13 hours ago








  • 1




    @undercat It's a consequence of the 14th Amendment in the US: "...nor shall any state deprive any person of life, liberty or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws."
    – Joe McMahon
    6 hours ago















up vote
26
down vote



accepted










In the United States there's what is known as the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)



which prohibits discrimination based on disabilities and mandates reasonable accomodations. Full or partial blindness will definitely fall under that category, and so they are legally prohibited from discriminating against you and if hired will work with you to help out. Many other locations have similar laws. In Canada the laws vary from province to province, but most of Canada has similar laws. Many (although not all) European countries have similar laws or regulations as well.






share|improve this answer

















  • 4




    Are you certain that the ADA grants disabled people without the US citizenship the same rights as far as US universities and companies are concerned? If so, could you please expand your answer to reflect that?
    – undercat
    14 hours ago








  • 9




    @undercat Yes - "All employees who work in the U.S. or its territories -- American Samoa, Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands -- for covered employers are protected by EEO laws, regardless of their citizenship or work authorization status".
    – ff524
    14 hours ago






  • 4




    @undercat The OP is seeking employment as a postdoc. The ADA applies to all aspects of the employment relationship, including recruitment and hiring.
    – ff524
    14 hours ago










  • @ff524 I've re-read the link and you are actually correct. It is unfortunate I've seen too many loopholes with those laws, at least as far as foreign nationals with disabilities are concerned.
    – undercat
    13 hours ago








  • 1




    @undercat It's a consequence of the 14th Amendment in the US: "...nor shall any state deprive any person of life, liberty or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws."
    – Joe McMahon
    6 hours ago













up vote
26
down vote



accepted







up vote
26
down vote



accepted






In the United States there's what is known as the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)



which prohibits discrimination based on disabilities and mandates reasonable accomodations. Full or partial blindness will definitely fall under that category, and so they are legally prohibited from discriminating against you and if hired will work with you to help out. Many other locations have similar laws. In Canada the laws vary from province to province, but most of Canada has similar laws. Many (although not all) European countries have similar laws or regulations as well.






share|improve this answer












In the United States there's what is known as the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)



which prohibits discrimination based on disabilities and mandates reasonable accomodations. Full or partial blindness will definitely fall under that category, and so they are legally prohibited from discriminating against you and if hired will work with you to help out. Many other locations have similar laws. In Canada the laws vary from province to province, but most of Canada has similar laws. Many (although not all) European countries have similar laws or regulations as well.







share|improve this answer












share|improve this answer



share|improve this answer










answered yesterday









JoshuaZ

1,770511




1,770511








  • 4




    Are you certain that the ADA grants disabled people without the US citizenship the same rights as far as US universities and companies are concerned? If so, could you please expand your answer to reflect that?
    – undercat
    14 hours ago








  • 9




    @undercat Yes - "All employees who work in the U.S. or its territories -- American Samoa, Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands -- for covered employers are protected by EEO laws, regardless of their citizenship or work authorization status".
    – ff524
    14 hours ago






  • 4




    @undercat The OP is seeking employment as a postdoc. The ADA applies to all aspects of the employment relationship, including recruitment and hiring.
    – ff524
    14 hours ago










  • @ff524 I've re-read the link and you are actually correct. It is unfortunate I've seen too many loopholes with those laws, at least as far as foreign nationals with disabilities are concerned.
    – undercat
    13 hours ago








  • 1




    @undercat It's a consequence of the 14th Amendment in the US: "...nor shall any state deprive any person of life, liberty or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws."
    – Joe McMahon
    6 hours ago














  • 4




    Are you certain that the ADA grants disabled people without the US citizenship the same rights as far as US universities and companies are concerned? If so, could you please expand your answer to reflect that?
    – undercat
    14 hours ago








  • 9




    @undercat Yes - "All employees who work in the U.S. or its territories -- American Samoa, Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands -- for covered employers are protected by EEO laws, regardless of their citizenship or work authorization status".
    – ff524
    14 hours ago






  • 4




    @undercat The OP is seeking employment as a postdoc. The ADA applies to all aspects of the employment relationship, including recruitment and hiring.
    – ff524
    14 hours ago










  • @ff524 I've re-read the link and you are actually correct. It is unfortunate I've seen too many loopholes with those laws, at least as far as foreign nationals with disabilities are concerned.
    – undercat
    13 hours ago








  • 1




    @undercat It's a consequence of the 14th Amendment in the US: "...nor shall any state deprive any person of life, liberty or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws."
    – Joe McMahon
    6 hours ago








4




4




Are you certain that the ADA grants disabled people without the US citizenship the same rights as far as US universities and companies are concerned? If so, could you please expand your answer to reflect that?
– undercat
14 hours ago






Are you certain that the ADA grants disabled people without the US citizenship the same rights as far as US universities and companies are concerned? If so, could you please expand your answer to reflect that?
– undercat
14 hours ago






9




9




@undercat Yes - "All employees who work in the U.S. or its territories -- American Samoa, Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands -- for covered employers are protected by EEO laws, regardless of their citizenship or work authorization status".
– ff524
14 hours ago




@undercat Yes - "All employees who work in the U.S. or its territories -- American Samoa, Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands -- for covered employers are protected by EEO laws, regardless of their citizenship or work authorization status".
– ff524
14 hours ago




4




4




@undercat The OP is seeking employment as a postdoc. The ADA applies to all aspects of the employment relationship, including recruitment and hiring.
– ff524
14 hours ago




@undercat The OP is seeking employment as a postdoc. The ADA applies to all aspects of the employment relationship, including recruitment and hiring.
– ff524
14 hours ago












@ff524 I've re-read the link and you are actually correct. It is unfortunate I've seen too many loopholes with those laws, at least as far as foreign nationals with disabilities are concerned.
– undercat
13 hours ago






@ff524 I've re-read the link and you are actually correct. It is unfortunate I've seen too many loopholes with those laws, at least as far as foreign nationals with disabilities are concerned.
– undercat
13 hours ago






1




1




@undercat It's a consequence of the 14th Amendment in the US: "...nor shall any state deprive any person of life, liberty or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws."
– Joe McMahon
6 hours ago




@undercat It's a consequence of the 14th Amendment in the US: "...nor shall any state deprive any person of life, liberty or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws."
– Joe McMahon
6 hours ago










up vote
21
down vote














Can my blindness be a factor in acceptance / rejection of my application?




As others have said, most Western countries have laws preventing discriminating against you due to blindness. However, the standard is that they you must be able to do the work given a "reasonable accommodation" -- i.e., they could reasonably prevent you from flying a plane or being a sharpshooter, as there is no reasonable way they could enable you to do the job. Since you did your PhD research already, it seems likely that you can do the work despite your handicap.



Note, however, that most post-docs are filled (at least in my experience) by interviewing with a professor or small group of professors. Most professors want to do the right thing; however, it is difficult to do an apples-to-apples comparison between two candidates at the best of times.



At any rate, all you can do is apply and hope for the best.




Are there any helpful websites that I can frequently check for available post doctoral opportunities?




I don't know (and "shopping questions" are actually not allowed here).




Is it necessary that my research should be on a population of a country where I’m studying for my post doc? i.e., if I’m studying in New Zealand, and I want to collect data from people in Pakistan, is this discouraged?




I don't know your field, but I seriously doubt this would be a problem. Here in the US, at least, there is plenty of research into different regions of the world.




What should be my first step for finding a post doctoral opportunity?




I would start by talking to your advisor, trusted old professors, or friends to find out where such jobs are typically announced. They may also be willing to introduce you to their network.



If the goal is a faculty position, I would consider reading Karen Kelsky's book -- plenty of advice there about best practices for preparing for and interviewing for a faculty position; though the book is widely written, she is an anthropologist and has lots of advice that seems like it would apply well to your situation.






share|improve this answer





















  • What would the problem with piloting a plane or sharpshooting be? Both of these things are well within the capabilities of a blind person given reasonable accommodations and proper training. Sighted people tend to think of these things in terms of what they could imagine themselves doing with their eyes closed. This it not a good way to estimate the capabilities of a blind person.
    – De Novo
    10 hours ago












  • I'm surprised, but I'll take your word for it, I admit I don't have a good intuition for how to judge the capabilities of a blind person. At any rate, I was just trying to explain reasonable accommodation, and I think we agree that OP is likely protected by the ADA et al (though as I said, hard to prove discrimination in hiring, especially in research)
    – cag51
    10 hours ago










  • @DeNovo FAA regulations for pilots' license do include visual acuity requirements (there are some exceptions, e.g. for those with monocular vision, but these are limited). And the US armed forces also enforce vision requirements to be eligible for sniper training. Neither of these requirements are in violation of the ADA.
    – ff524
    9 hours ago










  • @ff524 the US armed forces is specifically exempt from the ADA. FAA regulations should probably be challenged, though there are a variety of legal complications given the structure there. I've been hoping someone would bring that suit for a while.
    – De Novo
    9 hours ago












  • @ff524 regardless, I'm not sure why the fact that one or another institution discriminates against blind people should be evidence that blind people don't have the capability to do a certain thing.
    – De Novo
    9 hours ago















up vote
21
down vote














Can my blindness be a factor in acceptance / rejection of my application?




As others have said, most Western countries have laws preventing discriminating against you due to blindness. However, the standard is that they you must be able to do the work given a "reasonable accommodation" -- i.e., they could reasonably prevent you from flying a plane or being a sharpshooter, as there is no reasonable way they could enable you to do the job. Since you did your PhD research already, it seems likely that you can do the work despite your handicap.



Note, however, that most post-docs are filled (at least in my experience) by interviewing with a professor or small group of professors. Most professors want to do the right thing; however, it is difficult to do an apples-to-apples comparison between two candidates at the best of times.



At any rate, all you can do is apply and hope for the best.




Are there any helpful websites that I can frequently check for available post doctoral opportunities?




I don't know (and "shopping questions" are actually not allowed here).




Is it necessary that my research should be on a population of a country where I’m studying for my post doc? i.e., if I’m studying in New Zealand, and I want to collect data from people in Pakistan, is this discouraged?




I don't know your field, but I seriously doubt this would be a problem. Here in the US, at least, there is plenty of research into different regions of the world.




What should be my first step for finding a post doctoral opportunity?




I would start by talking to your advisor, trusted old professors, or friends to find out where such jobs are typically announced. They may also be willing to introduce you to their network.



If the goal is a faculty position, I would consider reading Karen Kelsky's book -- plenty of advice there about best practices for preparing for and interviewing for a faculty position; though the book is widely written, she is an anthropologist and has lots of advice that seems like it would apply well to your situation.






share|improve this answer





















  • What would the problem with piloting a plane or sharpshooting be? Both of these things are well within the capabilities of a blind person given reasonable accommodations and proper training. Sighted people tend to think of these things in terms of what they could imagine themselves doing with their eyes closed. This it not a good way to estimate the capabilities of a blind person.
    – De Novo
    10 hours ago












  • I'm surprised, but I'll take your word for it, I admit I don't have a good intuition for how to judge the capabilities of a blind person. At any rate, I was just trying to explain reasonable accommodation, and I think we agree that OP is likely protected by the ADA et al (though as I said, hard to prove discrimination in hiring, especially in research)
    – cag51
    10 hours ago










  • @DeNovo FAA regulations for pilots' license do include visual acuity requirements (there are some exceptions, e.g. for those with monocular vision, but these are limited). And the US armed forces also enforce vision requirements to be eligible for sniper training. Neither of these requirements are in violation of the ADA.
    – ff524
    9 hours ago










  • @ff524 the US armed forces is specifically exempt from the ADA. FAA regulations should probably be challenged, though there are a variety of legal complications given the structure there. I've been hoping someone would bring that suit for a while.
    – De Novo
    9 hours ago












  • @ff524 regardless, I'm not sure why the fact that one or another institution discriminates against blind people should be evidence that blind people don't have the capability to do a certain thing.
    – De Novo
    9 hours ago













up vote
21
down vote










up vote
21
down vote










Can my blindness be a factor in acceptance / rejection of my application?




As others have said, most Western countries have laws preventing discriminating against you due to blindness. However, the standard is that they you must be able to do the work given a "reasonable accommodation" -- i.e., they could reasonably prevent you from flying a plane or being a sharpshooter, as there is no reasonable way they could enable you to do the job. Since you did your PhD research already, it seems likely that you can do the work despite your handicap.



Note, however, that most post-docs are filled (at least in my experience) by interviewing with a professor or small group of professors. Most professors want to do the right thing; however, it is difficult to do an apples-to-apples comparison between two candidates at the best of times.



At any rate, all you can do is apply and hope for the best.




Are there any helpful websites that I can frequently check for available post doctoral opportunities?




I don't know (and "shopping questions" are actually not allowed here).




Is it necessary that my research should be on a population of a country where I’m studying for my post doc? i.e., if I’m studying in New Zealand, and I want to collect data from people in Pakistan, is this discouraged?




I don't know your field, but I seriously doubt this would be a problem. Here in the US, at least, there is plenty of research into different regions of the world.




What should be my first step for finding a post doctoral opportunity?




I would start by talking to your advisor, trusted old professors, or friends to find out where such jobs are typically announced. They may also be willing to introduce you to their network.



If the goal is a faculty position, I would consider reading Karen Kelsky's book -- plenty of advice there about best practices for preparing for and interviewing for a faculty position; though the book is widely written, she is an anthropologist and has lots of advice that seems like it would apply well to your situation.






share|improve this answer













Can my blindness be a factor in acceptance / rejection of my application?




As others have said, most Western countries have laws preventing discriminating against you due to blindness. However, the standard is that they you must be able to do the work given a "reasonable accommodation" -- i.e., they could reasonably prevent you from flying a plane or being a sharpshooter, as there is no reasonable way they could enable you to do the job. Since you did your PhD research already, it seems likely that you can do the work despite your handicap.



Note, however, that most post-docs are filled (at least in my experience) by interviewing with a professor or small group of professors. Most professors want to do the right thing; however, it is difficult to do an apples-to-apples comparison between two candidates at the best of times.



At any rate, all you can do is apply and hope for the best.




Are there any helpful websites that I can frequently check for available post doctoral opportunities?




I don't know (and "shopping questions" are actually not allowed here).




Is it necessary that my research should be on a population of a country where I’m studying for my post doc? i.e., if I’m studying in New Zealand, and I want to collect data from people in Pakistan, is this discouraged?




I don't know your field, but I seriously doubt this would be a problem. Here in the US, at least, there is plenty of research into different regions of the world.




What should be my first step for finding a post doctoral opportunity?




I would start by talking to your advisor, trusted old professors, or friends to find out where such jobs are typically announced. They may also be willing to introduce you to their network.



If the goal is a faculty position, I would consider reading Karen Kelsky's book -- plenty of advice there about best practices for preparing for and interviewing for a faculty position; though the book is widely written, she is an anthropologist and has lots of advice that seems like it would apply well to your situation.







share|improve this answer












share|improve this answer



share|improve this answer










answered yesterday









cag51

9,56142245




9,56142245












  • What would the problem with piloting a plane or sharpshooting be? Both of these things are well within the capabilities of a blind person given reasonable accommodations and proper training. Sighted people tend to think of these things in terms of what they could imagine themselves doing with their eyes closed. This it not a good way to estimate the capabilities of a blind person.
    – De Novo
    10 hours ago












  • I'm surprised, but I'll take your word for it, I admit I don't have a good intuition for how to judge the capabilities of a blind person. At any rate, I was just trying to explain reasonable accommodation, and I think we agree that OP is likely protected by the ADA et al (though as I said, hard to prove discrimination in hiring, especially in research)
    – cag51
    10 hours ago










  • @DeNovo FAA regulations for pilots' license do include visual acuity requirements (there are some exceptions, e.g. for those with monocular vision, but these are limited). And the US armed forces also enforce vision requirements to be eligible for sniper training. Neither of these requirements are in violation of the ADA.
    – ff524
    9 hours ago










  • @ff524 the US armed forces is specifically exempt from the ADA. FAA regulations should probably be challenged, though there are a variety of legal complications given the structure there. I've been hoping someone would bring that suit for a while.
    – De Novo
    9 hours ago












  • @ff524 regardless, I'm not sure why the fact that one or another institution discriminates against blind people should be evidence that blind people don't have the capability to do a certain thing.
    – De Novo
    9 hours ago


















  • What would the problem with piloting a plane or sharpshooting be? Both of these things are well within the capabilities of a blind person given reasonable accommodations and proper training. Sighted people tend to think of these things in terms of what they could imagine themselves doing with their eyes closed. This it not a good way to estimate the capabilities of a blind person.
    – De Novo
    10 hours ago












  • I'm surprised, but I'll take your word for it, I admit I don't have a good intuition for how to judge the capabilities of a blind person. At any rate, I was just trying to explain reasonable accommodation, and I think we agree that OP is likely protected by the ADA et al (though as I said, hard to prove discrimination in hiring, especially in research)
    – cag51
    10 hours ago










  • @DeNovo FAA regulations for pilots' license do include visual acuity requirements (there are some exceptions, e.g. for those with monocular vision, but these are limited). And the US armed forces also enforce vision requirements to be eligible for sniper training. Neither of these requirements are in violation of the ADA.
    – ff524
    9 hours ago










  • @ff524 the US armed forces is specifically exempt from the ADA. FAA regulations should probably be challenged, though there are a variety of legal complications given the structure there. I've been hoping someone would bring that suit for a while.
    – De Novo
    9 hours ago












  • @ff524 regardless, I'm not sure why the fact that one or another institution discriminates against blind people should be evidence that blind people don't have the capability to do a certain thing.
    – De Novo
    9 hours ago
















What would the problem with piloting a plane or sharpshooting be? Both of these things are well within the capabilities of a blind person given reasonable accommodations and proper training. Sighted people tend to think of these things in terms of what they could imagine themselves doing with their eyes closed. This it not a good way to estimate the capabilities of a blind person.
– De Novo
10 hours ago






What would the problem with piloting a plane or sharpshooting be? Both of these things are well within the capabilities of a blind person given reasonable accommodations and proper training. Sighted people tend to think of these things in terms of what they could imagine themselves doing with their eyes closed. This it not a good way to estimate the capabilities of a blind person.
– De Novo
10 hours ago














I'm surprised, but I'll take your word for it, I admit I don't have a good intuition for how to judge the capabilities of a blind person. At any rate, I was just trying to explain reasonable accommodation, and I think we agree that OP is likely protected by the ADA et al (though as I said, hard to prove discrimination in hiring, especially in research)
– cag51
10 hours ago




I'm surprised, but I'll take your word for it, I admit I don't have a good intuition for how to judge the capabilities of a blind person. At any rate, I was just trying to explain reasonable accommodation, and I think we agree that OP is likely protected by the ADA et al (though as I said, hard to prove discrimination in hiring, especially in research)
– cag51
10 hours ago












@DeNovo FAA regulations for pilots' license do include visual acuity requirements (there are some exceptions, e.g. for those with monocular vision, but these are limited). And the US armed forces also enforce vision requirements to be eligible for sniper training. Neither of these requirements are in violation of the ADA.
– ff524
9 hours ago




@DeNovo FAA regulations for pilots' license do include visual acuity requirements (there are some exceptions, e.g. for those with monocular vision, but these are limited). And the US armed forces also enforce vision requirements to be eligible for sniper training. Neither of these requirements are in violation of the ADA.
– ff524
9 hours ago












@ff524 the US armed forces is specifically exempt from the ADA. FAA regulations should probably be challenged, though there are a variety of legal complications given the structure there. I've been hoping someone would bring that suit for a while.
– De Novo
9 hours ago






@ff524 the US armed forces is specifically exempt from the ADA. FAA regulations should probably be challenged, though there are a variety of legal complications given the structure there. I've been hoping someone would bring that suit for a while.
– De Novo
9 hours ago














@ff524 regardless, I'm not sure why the fact that one or another institution discriminates against blind people should be evidence that blind people don't have the capability to do a certain thing.
– De Novo
9 hours ago




@ff524 regardless, I'm not sure why the fact that one or another institution discriminates against blind people should be evidence that blind people don't have the capability to do a certain thing.
– De Novo
9 hours ago










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