Start Date between Sept 24 - July 26

This module equips students with knowledge and skills to engage critically with the ways in which governments and other civil society actors have sought to meet the needs of disabled people and to evaluate the implications of this for disabled people’s lives, individually and collectively. It provides the opportunity for students to investigate and explore disabled people’s responses to the disability business and the disabling state have been highly influential in changing ideas about what appropriate and effective services and other forms of provision are. In particular, the articulation of Independent Living as the aspiration of the disabled people’s movement has created a powerful challenge to existing policies and practices. This module will explore how this challenge has been embraced, resisted or appropriated in different contexts and spaces.

This module will help you to explore disability as a human rights issue. We will consider the development and influence of the human rights approach to developing disability legislation, policy, programmes and practices. In particular, we will examine the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD, 2006) and understand its core principles. We will investigate its relationship to other international human rights conventions, regional human rights systems and national laws and policies. You will be able to examine topics such as independent living, inclusive education, work and employment, access to justice, freedom from violence/abuse, political participation and inclusive leisure/recreation through a human rights ‘lens’. You will consider the relationship between the CRPD and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and learn about CRPD Human Rights Indicators. By taking this module you will learn how to assess policies, programmes and practices to determine whether they are aligned with the human rights approach to disability.

The Applied Project provides an opportunity to follow up on your own interests in the context of disability rights and inclusion and explore this in more depth with a strong focus on producing knowledge or evidence to effect positive change. The module combines taught sessions with independent study, supervised by an academic member of staff, and a strong emphasis on peer support and learning. You will be given guidance to help you define a rich, stimulating and achievable project and to plan, monitor and review your progress with your supervisor and cohort. There is the opportunity to work with a partner organisation if appropriate.

This module introduces students to the nature and lived experience of disability inequalities in contemporary global contexts. Taking as its starting point the concepts of equality and inequality, it considers the differing ways these and related concepts like justice, fairness and entitlement are articulated and applied in relation to disability. This module provides a foundational knowledge for identifying, resisting, challenging and reworking definitions and classifications of disability and of disabling barriers and practices they are explored in greater depth in subsequent modules.

This module introduces students to the nature and lived experience of disability inequalities in contemporary global contexts. Taking as its starting point the concepts of equality and inequality, it considers the differing ways these and related concepts like justice, fairness and entitlement are articulated and applied in relation to disability. This module provides a foundational knowledge for identifying, resisting, challenging and reworking definitions and classifications of disability and of disabling barriers and practices they are explored in greater depth in subsequent modules.

The big ideas of the disabled people’s movement have transformed lives and have set the intellectual culture of disability studies. In this module we will explore a critical history of these big ideas demonstrating how these have led to practical solutions to many of the injustices experienced by disabled people and making visible the horizon of the inclusive society. Students will become more confident in deploying complex ideas in their practice as this module is the theoretical foundation of the programme.

The big ideas of the disabled people’s movement have transformed lives and have set the intellectual culture of disability studies. In this module we will explore a critical history of these big ideas demonstrating how these have led to practical solutions to many of the injustices experienced by disabled people and making visible the horizon of the inclusive society. Students will become more confident in deploying complex ideas in their practice as this module is the theoretical foundation of the programme.

This module introduces students to the nature and lived experience of exclusion and principles and practices of inclusion in contemporary global contexts. Taking as its starting point the concepts of belonging, community, equality and inequality, and justice it considers the differing ways exclusion impacts different population cohorts with a particular focus on disability. This module provides a foundational knowledge for identifying, resisting, and challenging barriers for disabled people and for building theories and practices of inclusion.

This module introduces students to the nature and lived experience of exclusion and principles and practices of inclusion in contemporary global contexts. Taking as its starting point the concepts of belonging, community, equality and inequality, and justice it considers the differing ways exclusion impacts different population cohorts with a particular focus on disability. This module provides a foundational knowledge for identifying, resisting, and challenging barriers for disabled people and for building theories and practices of inclusion.

This module equips students with knowledge and skills to engage critically with the ways in which governments and other civil society actors have sought to meet the needs of disabled people and to evaluate the implications of this for disabled people’s lives, individually and collectively. It provides the opportunity for students to investigate and explore disabled people’s responses to the disability business and the disabling state have been highly influential in changing ideas about what appropriate and effective services and other forms of provision are. In particular, the articulation of Independent Living as the aspiration of the disabled people’s movement has created a powerful challenge to existing policies and practices. This module will explore how this challenge has been embraced, resisted or appropriated in different contexts and spaces.

This module equips students with knowledge and skills to engage critically with the ways in which governments and other civil society actors have sought to meet the needs of disabled people and to evaluate the implications of this for disabled people’s lives, individually and collectively. It provides the opportunity for students to investigate and explore disabled people’s responses to the disability business and the disabling state have been highly influential in changing ideas about what appropriate and effective services and other forms of provision are. In particular, the articulation of Independent Living as the aspiration of the disabled people’s movement has created a powerful challenge to existing policies and practices. This module will explore how this challenge has been embraced, resisted or appropriated in different contexts and spaces.

This module equips students with knowledge and skills to engage critically with public policy reforms in the field of disability equality. It provides them with an understanding of opportunities for policy change, and the challenges this presents. It allows students to explore the choices facing policy makers, and the strengths and weaknesses of different approaches to policy reform (such as between legislating or educating, or between targeting and mainstreaming policy interventions). They will learn about policy processes, and the factors and actors that influence them. Students will apply advanced knowledge to critically evaluate the opportunities for reform in selected case studies in relevant policy fields (including policy challenges identified by students, or relevant to their interests). They will consider the factors that shape opportunities for disability policy reform, the influence of different policy actors and the constraints on available choices and make recommendations.

This module equips students with knowledge and skills to engage critically with public policy reforms in the field of disability equality. It provides them with an understanding of opportunities for policy change, and the challenges this presents. It allows students to explore the choices facing policy makers, and the strengths and weaknesses of different approaches to policy reform (such as between legislating or educating, or between targeting and mainstreaming policy interventions). They will learn about policy processes, and the factors and actors that influence them. Students will apply advanced knowledge to critically evaluate the opportunities for reform in selected case studies in relevant policy fields (including policy challenges identified by students, or relevant to their interests). They will consider the factors that shape opportunities for disability policy reform, the influence of different policy actors and the constraints on available choices and make recommendations.

The Applied Project provides an opportunity to follow up on your own interests in the context of disability rights and inclusion and explore this in more depth with a strong focus on producing knowledge or evidence to effect positive change. The module combines taught sessions with independent study, supervised by an academic member of staff, and a strong emphasis on peer support and learning. You will be given guidance to help you define a rich, stimulating and achievable project and to plan, monitor and review your progress with your supervisor and cohort. There is the opportunity to work with a partner organisation if appropriate.