It’s been a busy few months. I haven’t been great at sharing what’s been going on in the world of research and activism on disability, society and faith (sorry!) To make up for it, here’s an update on what I’ve been doing and news of some upcoming events.
October is shaping up to be an exciting month. I’m thrilled to invite you to two events that bring together academic research and grassroots community building.
Online Symposium: Religions, Faith Communities & Disability – October 8th
On Weds October 8th, I’ll be chairing an online symposium on Religions, Faith Communities & Disability. It’s part of Manchester Metropolitan University’s Learning Disabilities and Autism Research Group seminar series.
We’ve brought together three fantastic speakers who are doing the work of research and action for change in faith communities and wider society.
Dr Krysia Waldock will share findings from their doctoral research, exploring autistic people’s experiences of inclusion and belonging in churches and mosques.
Bernice Hardie will talk about WAVE’s work #WithNotFor people with learning disabilities, addressing the root causes of social exclusion and building genuinely inclusive places at the heart of communities.
Fiona MacMillan will speak about her experience working with neurodivergent people in church contexts, drawing on over a decade of disabled- and neurodivergent-led work in the Church of England and beyond.
More details and Eventbrite link here.
Can These Bones Live? Disability and Church Conference – October 18-19
The following weekend, I’ll be preaching at this year’s Living Edge conference. Titled Can These Bones Live?, it’s a weekend gathering exploring disability, wilderness, hope and God.
‘Like the prophet Ezekiel, many disabled people today are surrounded by bones, by difficulties, by hostility and injustice. But God asks us: “Can these bones live?”‘
I’ll be speaking on Sunday 19th Oct at 10am, at St Martin-in-the-Fields Church in Trafalgar Square. You can join us in the building or on the church’s YouTube page.
There’s yet another incredible lineup this year. I’m especially excited to hear from Lamar Hardwick, Julia Watts-Belser, Hannah Lewis and Emily Richardson.
Building Bridges: Research and Community
For me, these two events are all about building bridges between academic research and grassroots community action. Here’s some more work I’ve been doing on that theme this year.
This spring, I had the privilege of giving the keynote address at the BSA Sociology of Religion Study Group’s Chair’s Response Day on Religion, Disability and Neurodivergence. It was followed by a panel at the main BSA Sociology of Religion conference in July. I joined organisers Krysia Waldock and Renasha Khan to reflect on creating accessible, non-hierarchical academic spaces. Epistemic injustice was a big focus of both events – the way that disabled and neurodivergent people’s knowledge is systematically excluded from academic knowledge – and how listening to lived experience can make a difference.
Building genuine partnerships with communities has always been important in my research. But it feels like we need collaborative, empowering research now more than ever. In US policy right now, we’re seeing the awful implications of some the nonsense that can pass for ‘autism research.’ Earlier this year, Katie Munday and I were guest bloggers for Neurodiverse Connection, writing about research with autistic people that aims to be empowering rather than exploitative.
I had a chance to explore this principle of collaborative research with autistic people, when I was invited to speak to a local autistic people’s group over the summer. There were so many fantastic questions, from people who had valid concerns about how autism research affects their lives. I really appreciate connecting with real people and talking about the real impact of this work.
I’ve also been working with a new oversight group for our Learning Disabilities and Autism Research Group at Manchester Met, made up of people with learning disabilities, autistic people and family carers. Our research team are committed to involving people with lived experience, in meaningful ways. We hope this group will keep us accountable to our aim of doing more inclusive research that tackles injustice and exclusion. Watch this space for more news about this collaboration.
Whose Lives Are Valued?
When we research inclusion and justice, we’re not just talking about ideas – we’re talking about life and death. About whose lives matter and whose get erased.
In September I attended Professor Sara Ryan’s book launch at Manchester People’s History Museum. Ryan’s book Critical Health and Learning Disabilities: An Exploration of Erasure and Social Murder is a powerful critique of the structural violence that allows the social murder of people with learning disabilities to happen. It was a powerful reminder of what’s at stake in this work.
And this summer, it was a joy to attend Dr Rachel Holdforth’s artist talk about her exhibition Seeking the Disabled Christ at Newcastle Cathedral. Rachel’s lino prints of disabled Christ figures are inspired by conversations with fellow disabled Christians. Rachel’s question – “What if we saw Jesus as disabled too?” – and her wonderful art helped us to think about whose bodyminds are represented or marginalised in religious traditions and culture. And what that says about the lives we value – and don’t.
Speaking Truth to Power
This year I’ve been thinking a lot about what it means for researchers to speak truth to power. In September, I was part of a panel on the future of neurodivergent liberation theology at the Society for the Study of Christian Ethics conference, organised by Caleb Day and Jonathan Dunn. Some fantastic theologians and sociologists of religion came together to talk about what this emerging field might look like. The discussions reinforced my conviction that we need to talk about epistemic injustice for neurodivergent and disabled people in religions, as much as in other social institutions.
As ever, some of my most meaningful work this year involved lived experience-based neurodiversity training. It was fantastic to deliver a session to clinicians from Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust this summer. Their curiosity, engagement and commitment to doing their best with and for young neurodivergent people gave me hope for the NHS.
Looking Forward
Wow – that’s nearly a year’s worth of events, conferences and collaborations. I hope it all reflects the kind of community-building I want to be part of – creating spaces where disabled and neurodivergent people’s experience is centered, where our knowledge and leadership are valued, and where we can speak for ourselves rather than being spoken about.
These bones can live. In a time of stark inequality, we’re still here – building community, learning from each other, and taking action for change. Life breathed into dead bones. If you’re involved in that work, or you’re just curious about how faith communities can become more inclusive, I’d love to see you at one or both of these upcoming events.
Join us:
- Symposium: Religions, Faith Communities and Disabilities. October 8th, 12-2pm online. Book here.
- Conference: Can These Bones Live? October 18-19, St Martin-in-the-Fields & online. Book here.
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