Shifting power relations in disability sport and social activism research: an emancipatory approach

ABSTRACT

In answer to appeals for more participatory frameworks to advance qualitative methodologies, this article shows how a novel emancipatory approach to disability research produced significant impact and learnings. We (academics and non-academics) explain how ethical problems experienced in traditional qualitative research designed to understand how grassroots disabled activists in the UK were reacting to the International Paralympic Committee’s WeThe15 campaign, led to the emergence of an ‘emancipatory approach to research’. We discuss how a small group of creative non-academic disabled activists, artists and athletes formed a foundational project called Project Group Spirit to unpick concerns about the WeThe15 campaign and formulate activist interventions in the context of Paralympic sport. Three sets of action-orientated activist findings that arose from the project are described: ‘Disabled Athletes and Artists, and their Activism’, ‘Engaging with WeThe15’ and ‘The Moral High Ground’. These themes, we show, provided the groundwork for the group to organise themselves into a wider principled project called the Disability Knowledge Exchange and Impact Group (KEI Group). The article ends by discussing a) the potential impact of the KEI Group b) academic barriers to emancipatory approaches and c) ways to evaluate emancipatory disability research. This article is an example of emancipatory research in action to help foster high-quality participatory frameworks going forward.

KEYWORDS:

• Paralympic sport; disability activism
• emancipatory research
• participatory paradigms
• social movements

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Correction Statement

This article has been republished with minor changes. These changes do not impact the academic content of the article.

Notes

1. The International Paralympic Committee (IPC) launched the WeThe15 campaign at the 2020 Tokyo Paralympic Games (held in August 2021). WeThe15 was self-described as sport’s biggest ever human rights movement to end discrimination. Their aim was to transform the lives of the world’s 1.2 billion ‘persons with disabilities’ who represent 15% of the global population (see https://www.wethe15.org/).

Additional information

Funding

The work was supported by the Loughborough University.

Notes on contributors

Damian Haslett

Damian Haslett’s research has explored disability sport and social change. One example of this focus is his research on Para athletes as ‘social activists/advocates’ that has been published in several edited books and academic journals. Damian has worked on a variety of projects in and around Paralympic sport including research underpinned by emancipatory participatory principles and practices.

Miro Griffiths

Dr Miro Griffiths is a Disability Studies scholar, based in the School of Sociology and Social Policy, at the University of Leeds. His research is associated – primarily – with understanding disabled people’s experiences of resistance, activism, social movement participation, and advocacy. His contribution to existing bodies of literature has progressed ideas and theories about power, resistance practices, and disabled people’s pursuit for liberation.

Dave Lupton

Dave Lupton aka Crippen - Disabled Cartoonist has been an active member of the UK Disabled People's movement for over 40 years. He is currently working on updating the grey scale cartoons he created in the 1980's and 90's. Dave also works as an access auditor, disability equality consultant, trainer, and facilitator, is an editor with Disability Arts Online (DAO) and an Executive member of the Greater Manchester Coalition of Disabled People (GMCDP). He has also been Chair of the National Union of Journalists Disabled Members Council and Editor of the TUDA News, the magazine of the Trades Union Disability Alliance (TUDA) and Disability Arts Magazine (DAM). Dave now lives on the Isle of Wight.