Current Sociology

Please welcome our Sociologist of the Month for September 2022, Miro Griffiths (School of Sociology and Social Policy, University of Leeds, UK). His article for Current Sociology, Disabled Youth Participation within Activism and Social Movement Bases: An Empirical Investigation of the UK Disabled People’s Movement is Open Access.

Miro Griffiths

Could you please tell us about yourself? How did you come to your field of study?

M. Griffiths: I am a Leverhulme Trust Research Fellow in Disability Studies at the University of Leeds. My experience of disability was, initially, shaped by my personal experience of a physical impairment. I have experienced restrictions and barriers throughout my life and assumed that I was responsible for the injustices encountered on a daily basis. I then became involved in disability activism in the UK, and across Europe, which led me to recognise that restrictions encountered by disabled people are unnecessary and are due to the way society is organised politically, economically, socially, culturally, technologically and so on. I pursued Disability Studies to draw upon theoretical and conceptual frameworks to justify my arguments, as I did not want to rely upon just my own personal experience to understand disability and the changes necessary to realise an accessible and inclusive society. The School of Sociology and Social Policy, at the University of Leeds, gave me the opportunity to carry out research on disabled people’s experiences of resistance. I am currently working on a project to explore disability youth activism across Europe, which includes a survey, interviews, workshops, and a documentary film.

What prompted you to research the area of your article, “Disabled Youth Participation within Activism and Social Movement Bases: An Empirical Investigation of the UK Disabled People’s Movement”?

M. Griffiths: Disability activism is integral to the imagination, experimentation, and realisation of emancipatory societies. It provides opportunities to interrogate notions of accessibility, inclusion, and explore the material and discursive aspects necessary for a just, safe, and accessible world. However, I have been fascinated by who has opportunities to inform and influence social movement strategies, demands, and activities; or, alternatively, who is excluded from participating in activism (including from within existing social movement organisations and activist networks). Disabled people experience numerous restrictions to engage in political participation or to influence the organisation of their communities. This issue is further complicated by the status of youthhood, which can position young people as passive, apathetic, or dependent upon older, established figures to validate their claims. I wanted to entangle the two aspects (youth and disability) and explore the barriers and opportunities presented to young disabled people to participate within activism and social movement activity. This would also provide the opportunity to gain insight into young disabled people’s ideas and priorities for realising an inclusive world.

What do you see as the key findings of your article?

M. Griffiths: Understanding disabled youth activism is key for improving young disabled people's participation in politics and social change. Young disabled people require opportunities to situate historical and biographical experiences within broader socio-economic contexts. This will lead to a politicised consciousness surrounding disability, emancipation, and social justice. The article presents empirical data from the first study on young disabled people’s contemporary position within the UK Disabled People’s Movement. It critically assesses three areas pertinent to youth activism: activist membership, social movement organisation, and future considerations for activism. This allows for an exploration of how young disabled activists navigate collective action, influence activist claims and demands, and understand the issues for sustaining a disabled people’s social movement. It is clear, from the data, that young disabled activists have a desire to disrupt their current position within the UK disability activism and bring into focus a future where young disabled people's contributions to activism and social movements are accessible, valued, and influential. The article highlights that a failure to support young disabled people's participation within social movements will have an adverse impact on their political identities.

What are the wider social implications of your research in the current social climate? How do you think things will change in the future?

M. Griffiths: Disabled people’s lives are still characterised by precariousness, violence, and injustice. We can point to progress within legislation, policy, technology, and this should be celebrated; however, disabled people – and their social movements – continue to struggle against the onslaught of discrimination and exclusion. Societies continue to tolerate, indeed promote, segregative and exclusionary practices. I am struck by the persistent necessity from disabled people to justify their existence, to continuously demand access to, and participation within, the various arrangements throughout the social world – such as education, labour market, social security, care and support. Little attention is given to the claims and demands articulated by disabled people’s social movements. This will, ultimately, be detrimental to disabled people’s participation in society. The risk is contemporary and future forms of social organisation will discard the needs of disabled people or relegate them to paternalism, particularly when we face existential threats such as global warming. There is an alternative. Disability activism – from my perspective – provides ideas for reimagining the world. It disrupts notions of normality, conformity, and the “desired” traits and characteristics required to live, exist, and function. It introduces multiple possibilities for being and existing alternatively, which ought to be embraced beyond disabled people’s communities. I am often asked to explain the purpose of disability activism. It is to imagine – and realise – a world where accessibility, inclusion, and solidarity is prioritised for all.

Do you have any links to images, documents or other pieces of research which build on or add to the article? Or a suggested reading list?

M. Griffiths: If anybody finds my work interesting, or useful, then – in the first instance – please contact me. I enjoy learning about other people’s work and activities in the area of activism, social movements, and resistance practices. I have several articles and chapters due for publication, including: how the future is conceptualised within disability activism, the role of disability youth activism within the organisation of inclusive education, and young disabled activist’s critique of key concepts pertinent to the organisation and solidarity of disabled people’s social movements. They will appear on this website when published: https://essl.leeds.ac.uk/sociology/staff/1040/miro-griffiths. I would encourage people to explore the field of Disability Studies and draw upon sociological critiques to understand disabled people’s position in society. Finally, if you are committed to disabled people’s emancipation, please identify and establish links with local disabled people’s organisations (organisations controlled by disabled people) to support their work in challenging injustice and realising inclusion.