Activism and agency of people with disabilities in Higher Education

Abstract

This study sought to develop and analyse collaborative practices with the intention of expanding the agency of university students with disabilities at a Brazilian public university. Agency is understood as individual-collective action that makes a difference and contributes to community life. The theoretical-methodological basis is Social-Historical Psychology and the Transformative Activist Position, which has at its core an ethical-political commitment to social justice. In addition, the research is guided by a collaborative approach, working "with", and not "on" the participants, and is therefore a study committed to reality and social demands.  Ten university students of different ages, disabilities, genders, ethnicities and degree programmes took part in the research. The data was organised into four thematic axes that pointed to enabling, oppressive and exclusionary structures in the academic environment; collective mobilisation in favour of improvements at the institution in question; different collaborative practices that enabled the participants to take a critical and activist stance, among other aspects. We concluded that the agency of people with disabilities tends to be co-opted in the academic environment, considering the extensive presence of ableist practices. Meanwhile, the collaborative activities developed enabled the creation of a support network, unity between peers and the expansion of agency, showing an alternative for confronting the enabling and exclusionary structures of the academic environment.