DOCTORAL THESES
We have agreed to provide within the journal a list of completed theses in the field of Disability Studies. This will be an important resource for readers to follow through as well as provide the names of colleagues who are new entrants to the discipline.
This is an open invitation starting with theses completed from 2010. We would like the following information:
The name of the author;
The title of the thesis;
The university awarding the degree (please state degree awarded and year)
A 100 word synopsis of the thesis;
An email contact number.
Please forward these to Helen Oliver, School of Education, University of Sheffield, 388 Glossop Road, Sheffield S10 2JA.
Email: [email protected]
We will include this call for the above information in forthcoming issues of the journal.
Looking forward to the responses.
Executive Editors
Name of author: Dawn Benson
Thesis title: Birth injury, disabling families and enabling human factors
University awarding degree: Northumbria University, PhD 2014
An eclectic approach to qualitative methodology is taken in this thesis to combine personal experience with interview data collected from eight parents of children avoidably damaged with disabling consequences through medical error at or around the time of birth. Initially the research was concerned with motivation for, and experience of pursuing a claim for damages against maternity services, revealing that predominantly parents want explanations for injury to their child and assurance that lessons have been learned to protect others. The findings also revealed however, that it is parents not professionals who learn most from involvement with avoidable injury to babies at birth. Analysis shows how following birth injury to their children, parents acquire the skills and characteristics of High Reliability Organisations; they become ‘High Reliability’ parents whose insights have a great deal to teach professionals and enable families.
Email: [email protected]
Name of author: Paul Doyle
Thesis title: A study to raise the voices of young disabled people preparing for life beyond segregated school: the power of disability research in promoting advocacy
University awarding degree: University of Sheffield, PhD 2014
The thesis is about the transition of young people with multiple impairments moving from a segregated special school into adult life. A qualitative in-school study was conducted to explore young people’s views and aspirations about their futures through research-led advocacy sessions illuminated by the researcher’s own experiences as a person with multiple impairments. Findings demonstrate the importance of enabling young disabled people to speak up for themselves and of circumventing communication barriers. The impact of exclusion throughout the school years on disabled people’s futures is critically discussed. The project affirms the importance of disabled people in the production of research to promote inclusion.
Email: [email protected]
Name of author: Jameel Hampton
Thesis title: Disability and the welfare state in Britain, 1948-1976: changes in perception, developments in policy
University awarding degree: Bristol University, PhD 2012
This thesis examines developments in policy for, and changes in perceptions of, the general classes of disabled people during the classic welfare state. The general classes were adult physically disabled persons whose disablement came not as a result of war or industrial injury. The Labour and Conservative parties, the media, the Trades Unions Congress, and the Disablement Income group are examined in particular to understand changing perceptions and policy development. This thesis contributes to the state of knowledge on the classic welfare state, the personal social services, the mixed economy of welfare, and the history of disability in Britain.
Email: [email protected]