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From Dan Goodley and Paul Ramcharan (co-directors of the Centre of Applied Disability Studies - COADS) OPEN INVITATION ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ The Official Launch of the Centre of Applied Disability Studies (COADS). ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ [Please help us to publicise this event]. Keynote presentation ‘Bridging the Gap’: Researching the Interface between Disabled and Non-disabled People Dr Claire Tregaskis University of Plymouth 15th March 2006 2.00 – 3.30pm Pod Conference Room (First Floor) ICOSS Building (Informatics Collaboratory of the Social Sciences) University of Sheffield 219 Portobello Sheffield (map from http://www.shef.ac.uk/content/1/c6/03/72/52/ICOSS_MAP%5B1%5D.pdf) ABSTRACT This paper discusses some findings from a research project that explored disabled people’s potential for social inclusion as users of a mainstream leisure centre in the English Midlands (Tregaskis, 2004a). The research used a range of ethnographic methods to uncover what conditions were necessary for inclusion to occur, including participant-observation, interviewing, document analysis and the researcher’s open self-presentation as a disabled person in the setting. A key research finding was that the potential for inclusion, and for ordinary relationships with non-disabled customers and staff, had less to do with impairment labels than on the ability to establish an interest-based link – here, a desire to work out, get fit, and/or socialise with a wider network of people. Often, in fact, impairment status was less relevant to the social encounter than factors like gender, commonality of employment experience, and the perceived status of the person being engaged with. This finding suggested that people at the leisure centre had moved beyond conventional social and medical model assumptions of a rigid binary difference between disabled and non-disabled people (Bury, 1987; Barnes and Mercer, 1996;Thomas, 1999), and were instead utilising multiple aspects of their identities in order to make connections across difference. The paper discusses this data, and also considers the potential application of this sort of multiple identity analysis to other professional and service settings, as a means of supporting the development of more inclusive practice. ABOUT THE KEYNOTE Dr Claire Tregaskis is a Research Fellow in the Faculty of Health and Social Work at the University of Plymouth. Her main area of research interest is in Applied Disability Studies, which in her present job involves adding value to colleagues’ health and social work research by showing how the application of disability theory can extend the scope of their connection with service users. A key personal and research concern, discussed in this presentation, lies in exploring the interface between disabled and non-disabled people, and in seeking ways of making connections across difference. Her recent publications include: GOODLEY, D., & TREGASKIS, C., (in press, March 2006) ‘Parents of Disabled Babies: retrospective accounts of disabled family life and social theories of disability’ Qualitative Health Research TREGASKIS, C. (2004a) Constructions of Disability: Researching the Interface between Disabled and Non-disabled People, London, Routledge. TREGASKIS, C. (2004b) ‘Social Model Theories and Non-Disabled People: some possibilities for connection’, in C. Barnes and G. Mercer (eds) Implementing the Social Model of Disability: theory and research, Leeds, The Disability Press. ATTENDING To confirm attendance, for access requirements or for further details please email Nicola Salkeld on [log in to unmask] For Maps visit http://www.shef.ac.uk/visitors/ ABOUT COADS The Centre of Applied Disability Studies (COADS) promotes high quality disability research - applied and interdisciplinary in nature - in order to improve the lives of disabled people. Based at the University of Sheffield COADS disseminates its work through research, publications, seminar series, newsletters and this website in wider pursuit of its aims.COADS aims to: +Represent issues identified by disabled people +Focus exclusively on applied disability studies +Promote an interdisciplinary research centre that explicitly, openly and critically draws together a whole host of theory, practice and policy issues in various areas of health and social welfare. +Critically reflect upon professional practice and policy +Embrace everyday narratives, identities, experiences and ambitions +Theoretically engage with a host of social scientific perspectives about the social, political, historical, cultural, relational and psychological construction of ‘impairment’ and 'disability’ +React to contemporary policy, legislation and practice +Develop methodological innovation – participatory and emancipatory research MORE DETAILS OF COADS visit:http://www.shef.ac.uk/applieddisabilitystudies/ ________________End of message______________________ This Disability-Research Discussion list is managed by the Centre for Disability Studies at the University of Leeds (www.leeds.ac.uk/disability-studies). 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