Disability and DEI: The Construction(s) of Disability and Disability Studies in Higher Education Equity Work

• In Event: Dismantling Ableism in the Academy: Challenging Exclusionary Practices and Pedagogies

Abstract

Diversity, equity, inclusion, justice, and access (DEIJA) initiatives emerged in the last 15-20 years to counter disparate outcomes for minoritized groups in higher education; yet critical perceptions of ability and disability are often missing from these efforts. As higher education scholars and practitioners work to increase educational opportunities for minoritized groups and a growing body of research indicates that being part of a diverse college community can enhance development in leadership skills, critical thinking, and cross-cultural communication, there is little inquiry into how disability is situated within this work. By placing disability in an intersectional, critical perspective this study examines how ableism participates in systems of supremacy and how constructions of disability influence educational arrangements in post-secondary settings.

Author

• Lauren Shallish, Rutgers University - Newark