Woven: the intersections of disability and doctoral study, and the lives of students who navigate these intersections
Studies in Graduate and Postdoctoral Education
ISSN: 2398-4686
Article publication date: 14 November 2024
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to understand the experiences of disabled doctoral students at one Aotearoa New Zealand University, identifying barriers to accessibility and meaningful participation, and enabling practices.
Design/methodology/approach
This research was underpinned by the social model of disability and used an explanatory sequential mixed methods approach. A survey comprising closed and freeform questions was distributed to all doctoral students. From the 64 respondents, 12 also took part in an unstructured, narrative interview. Data were analysed using a combination of methods: descriptive statistics, thematic analysis and poetic inquiry.
Findings
Findings are presented mainly as data poetry. The poems centre on complexities faced by disabled doctoral students, and articulate challenges, enabling practices and possibilities for the future encountered by students in this study. Findings are additionally supported with quotes from narrative interviews, open-ended survey questions and descriptive data analysis.
Originality/value
The poetic inquiry approach gives voice to the collective experiences of disabled students. The poetic texts bear witness to the intersections of disability, impairment, chronic illness, neurodiversity and doctoral study, and the lives of students who navigate these intersections. These poems voice and seek to be lightning-rods for social change.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
The authors would like to acknowledge the research and knowledge contributions of their respected colleague and dear friend, Dr Lara Jade Sanderson, who died of a sudden illness in 2023. Lara’s advocacy for disabled students, for students living with chronic illness and/or neurodiversity, and in other research disabled teachers, is celebrated in this article. Authors acknowledge too the willingness of participants in this project who gave of their time and experiences generously. This research was conducted without funding.
Erratum: It has come to the attention of the publisher that the article, Brown, K., Sanderson, L., Spronken–Smith, R. and Cameron, C. (2024), “Woven: the intersections of disability and doctoral study, and the lives of students who navigate these intersections”, Studies in Graduate and Postdoctoral Education, Vol. ahead-of-print No. ahead-of-print. https://doi.org/10.1108/SGPE-07-2024-0082 was published with errors introduced during the production process, these have now been corrected in the online version. Edits included changes to the structure and presentation of the data poems that appear throughout the article. The publisher sincerely apologises for this error and for any inconvenience caused.
Citation
Brown, K., Sanderson, L., Spronken-Smith, R. and Cameron, C. (2024), "Woven: the intersections of disability and doctoral study, and the lives of students who navigate these intersections", Studies in Graduate and Postdoctoral Education, Vol. ahead-of-print No. ahead-of-print. https://doi.org/10.1108/SGPE-07-2024-0082
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
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