Ableism in academia: theorising disabilities and chronic illnesess in higher education

Rather than embracing difference as a reflection of wider society, academic ecosystems seek to normalise and homogenise ways of working and of being a scholar – as a consequence, ableism in academia is endemic. However, to date no attempt has been made to theorise experiences of ableism in academia. This book provides this interdisciplinary outlook on ableism that is missing. Through reporting research data and exploring personal experiences, members of academia theorise and conceptualise what it means to be/work outside the stereotypical norm. The focus of the book and outlook on ableism are not grounded within approaches commonly associated with disability studies, but draw on the width and breadth of social sciences. As such, contributors define disability, ableism, chronic illness and neurodiversity on their own terms rather than having to follow the prescription of a specific interpretative model.