Disability research

Social disability research is a multidisciplinary field that includes international research in social sciences, humanities, educational sciences and studies on the law. Disability research seeks to study disability systematically, both in our own society and internationally, from different angles, for instance from the social, cultural and political perspectives. 

The focus of disability research is on the point of view of persons with disabilities, and in the social meanings and effects of disability that go beyond people with disabilities. Disability research also examines inequality between people with disabilities and other people. 

In this chapter

Research promotes equality of persons with disabilities

Research processes and the results of disability research often promote equality of persons with disabilities.

Research can show places of development in the social position of persons with disabilities. The effects of disability research are thus not only academic, but they also reflect upon the structures of society and human lives. 

Promoting disability research in the field of social science is a politically important objective. Safeguarding full citizenship and participation of persons with disabilities requires scientific data on disability. For instance, the realisation of living independently (Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, Article 19) requires a study of de-institutionalisation. The importance of disability research has been recognized both nationally (Programme of disability policy VAMPO) and internationally (Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, Article 31).

Disability research has scarce resources in Finland

The situation of disability research in the field of social sciences is challenging in Finland today. The reasons are its scarce resources and also the fact that the position of its field of research is only developing. In Finland, disability research in the field of social sciences is a relatively new field of science, and researchers are scattered around various universities and organisations. 

Disability research in Finland at the University of Helsinki 

The only professorship in the disability field in Finland was established at the University of Helsinki in 2013. The occupation was temporary for five years, and it was financed by disability organisations and the university. Simo Vehmas was the first professor. 

Minor studies in disability research were started during Vehmas’s professorship, and over the last few years, interest in disability research has clearly increased. Lately, Helsinki University decided to make the professorship permanent and committed to finance it. The second professor in disability research has been Hisayo Katsui since 2018.

University of Helsinki, Faculty of Social Sciences (helsinki.fi)

The Finnish Society for Disability Research seeks to strengthen the position of disability research

The field of disability research is still narrow in Finland. The Finnish Society for Disability Research was established in 2006. The society seeks to promote the strengthening and establishment of disability research in the field of social sciences as a multidisciplinary academic field of research and academic subject in Finland. 

Every year, the Finnish Society for Disability Research organises the Annual Finnish disability studies research conference (Vammaistutkimuksen päivät) with the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL). The society organises summer and winter schools for postgraduate students, seminars and annual meetings. In its strategy for 2019–2021, the society states that its priorities are starting a yearbook, supporting researchers, networking and strengthening the status of persons with disabilities as researchers and active producers of research data. 

Author:
Finnish Society for Disability Research (vammaistutkimus.fi)
 

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