The lived experience of disabled academics with energy-limiting chronic impairments (ELCI)

Abstract

Despite the Equality Act 2010 and the Public Sector Equality Duty, disabled academics report experiencing a range of barriers to pursuing an academic career. Such barriers apply to those with visible and non-apparent impairments, such as ‘Energy-limiting chronic impairments’ (ELCI). Similarly, and consequently, the lived experiences of disabled academics are under-researched. The social-relational model of disability (SRMD) was embraced as the theoretical framework for this study. Using a multi-method qualitative approach, this study overtly observed the disability intervention (DISC) project to explore the lived experience of disabled academics with ELCI. The semi-structured interviews with participants/stakeholders and the observational data from DISC were thematically analysed. Indeed, hidden impairments among academics are poorly disclosed in universities, resulting in institutional structures failing to meet their needs, particularly those living with ELCI. This study contributes defeatism as a systemic impact of management practice that is socially imposed. It inevitably leaves disabled academics to self-exclusion or self-managing ‘impairment effects’ in universities, which is worth considering for improving disability inclusion with equitable support in UK universities. The broader implications of the findings point that universities should adopt proactive attention to social-relational barriers. Further, universities should also consider systemic change to indirect discrimination in disability management practice.