S5E14 | Disability Activism & Access in Academia: Divya Persaud & Ellie Armstrong

PhDivas

COVID-19 presents new challenges and possibilities for disabled students. Thousands signed an open letter asking grant agencies to automatically extend student funding and for grants for assistive equipment needed to work remotely. Conversely, many shifts to coronavirus teaching are only too familiar to disabled people who have long been advocating for change. "Access is a relationship," says space scientist Divya Persaud in this continuation of her interview with STS colleague Ellie Armstrong and PhDiva Xine. Learn about disability activism in academia -- we all gain from improvements to access. On the open letter: https://www.theguardian.com/education/2020/may/21/were-being-fobbed-off-why-disabled-students-are-losing-out-in-lockdown Sick Woman Theory: http://www.maskmagazine.com/not-again/struggle/sick-woman-theory You can still check out their conference Space Science in Context: https://spacescienceincontext.wordpress.com/ Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/phdivaspodcast