Rebecca Shea Irvine | University of Michigan (original) (raw)

Conference Presentations by Rebecca Shea Irvine

Post-conflict reconstruction presents an opportunity for redefining the rights and responsibiliti... more Post-conflict reconstruction presents an opportunity for redefining the rights and responsibilities of its citizens as the development of new policies and legislation is a top priority. During this time, governments seek to address past injustices by building a more inclusive society through the introduction of strategies for redevelopment that recognize the importance of human rights. The redevelopment of the State presents an opportunity to challenge the traditional views of disability and push forward a rights-based agenda that includes disabled people as equal citizens. South Africa and Uganda provide examples where some of the world’s most progressive disability policies were introduced during peace processes.

The first section of the paper will introduce the relationship between disability and violent conflict by discussing hierarchies within the post-conflict disability identity (considering disabled veterans, victims of the conflict, people with disabilities unrelated to the conflict, and a ‘ranking’ of impairment types). The second section will provide a comparative analysis of post-conflict documents including constitutions, peace agreements, and significant redevelopment strategies. The analysis will focus on the State’s recognition of people with disabilities as citizens and the role that is envisioned for disabled people within society (e.g. are they passive or active members). It will draw upon the experiences of ten countries that have undergone conflict transformation over the past twenty years including Bosnia, Cambodia, Croatia, Guatemala, Kosovo, Mozambique, Northern Ireland, Sierra Leone, South Africa, and Uganda.

The term ‘conflict’ has many interpretations and the use of political violence is just one. This ... more The term ‘conflict’ has many interpretations and the use of political violence is just one. This paper argues that the post-conflict reconstruction process may represent the end to the violent side of conflict but introduces new challenges associated with the political conflicts of developing social policy. Social policy often involves strong opinions on how best to provide for the well-being of citizens on topics such as healthcare, education, social security/assistance, and employment. In times of post-conflict reconstruction these decisions must be made swiftly, often by inexperienced political leaders with limited funds and who have to address various competing interests.
This paper explores the conflicts that arise out of the development of social policy during post-conflict reconstruction. It addresses the political, economic, and social factors that must be balanced in the development of social policy and draws upon the experiences of Northern Ireland, South Africa, and Mozambique. Examples are taken from the disability sector in particular to illuminate the experiences of a specific civil society group/identity and the development of relevant policies.

Post-conflict reconstruction presents an opportunity for the advancement of policies that recogni... more Post-conflict reconstruction presents an opportunity for the advancement of policies that recognize the rights of people with a disability. South Africa and Uganda are regarded as having some of the most progressive disability policies in the world (Swain, French & Cameron 2005; Ingstad & Whyte 2007) and in both cases, these policies were introduced in a post-conflict environment. During this time, governments seek to build an inclusive society that addresses past injustices. An organized, inclusive, and politically astute lobby can use this opportunity to convince decision-makers that disability should be a priority within peace-building and post-conflict reconstruction. If they are successful, it can result in the introduction of policies that have a significant impact on the lives of people with a disability.

The paper will be split into two sections: the first part will address the characteristics of an effective disability rights movement operating in a post-conflict environment, while the second will focus on the experiences of South Africa, Northern Ireland, and Sierra Leone. Each case was selected for its unique approach to achieving its objectives. South Africa’s disability movement is the closest to meeting the set criteria and has resulted in some of the world’s most progressive disability policies. Northern Ireland lacks an organized and inclusive movement and has struggled to produce meaningful disability policies of its own. The disability movement in Sierra Leone has failed to acknowledge the political and economic circumstances that policy makers are operating within and has created barriers to engagement as a result.

Papers by Rebecca Shea Irvine

Research Involvement and Engagement

Background Making decisions about your own life is a key aspect of independence, freedom, human r... more Background Making decisions about your own life is a key aspect of independence, freedom, human rights and social justice. There are disabled people who, without support, would be assessed as incapable of making certain decisions but with the appropriate support are capable of making those decisions and so to not provide that support infringes their rights, undermines their autonomy and reinforces their exclusion from society. However, there is limited research evidence available about disabled people’s experiences of the range of approaches provided to support decision-making. This article will explore the experiences of four peer researchers who co-produced a research project on how people have, or have not been, supported to make their own decisions. Two of the peer researchers have experience of mental health problems and two are people with an intellectual disability. The article refers to peer research because its subject matter is the relevant lived experience of people. Peer...

Routledge eBooks, Jul 24, 2019

Gendered Perspectives on International Development

119 Public Authorities subject to the Disability Duties under section 49A of the Disability Discr... more 119 Public Authorities subject to the Disability Duties under section 49A of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 (as amended by Article 5 of the Disability Discrimination (Northern Ireland) Order 2006) (these include all the public sector health bodies) are required to outline, in a Disability Action Plan, appropriate and effective action measures, including measures to provide training and guidance to employees and office holders on the disability equality legislation and disability awareness i.e. this is a requirement pre-dating the UNCRPD.

The Palgrave Encyclopedia of Global Security Studies, 2021

The Routledge Handbook of Disability in Southern Africa, 2018

Acknowledgements This research was funded as part of the Disability Research on Independent Livin... more Acknowledgements This research was funded as part of the Disability Research on Independent Living & Learning (DRILL) Programme. DRILL was fully funded by the Big Lottery Fund and delivered in partnership by Disability Action, Disability Rights UK, Disability Wales and Inclusion Scotland. The DRILL Programme was led by disabled people and funded coproduced research and pilot projects focused on exploring how disabled people can live as full citizens and take part socially, economically and politically. The research project was led by Praxis Care in partnership with Mencap NI and Queen's University Belfast and so the support of these three organisations is also acknowledged. The project was informed at key points throughout the research process by an International Advisory Group which included specialist disabled and non-disabled researchers with expertise in this area. Advisory group members advised on issues such as the existing research, the interview schedule, data analysis and dissemination.

Introduction 1.1 Aims and objectives 1.2 Principles for the scoping study 2. Methodolgy 3. Defini... more Introduction 1.1 Aims and objectives 1.2 Principles for the scoping study 2. Methodolgy 3. Definitions 3.1 Defining 'disability' 3.2 Defining 'quality of life' 3.3 Defining 'family quality of life' 4. Measuring quality of life (QoL) 4.1 Measuing the QoL of adults 4.2 Measuring the QoL of children & young people 4.3 Measuring the QoL using proxies 4.4 Measuring the QoL of families 4.

International Journal of Law and Psychiatry, 2020

Funding information: This research was funded as part of the Disability Research on Independent L... more Funding information: This research was funded as part of the Disability Research on Independent Living & Learning (DRILL) Programme. DRILL was fully funded by the Big Lottery Fund and delivered in partnership by Disability Action, Disability Rights UK, Disability Wales and Inclusion Scotland. The DRILL Programme was led by disabled people and funded coproduced research and pilot projects focused on exploring how disabled people can live as full citizens and take part socially, economically and politically.

Health & Social Care in the Community, 2020

The research project was led by Praxis Care in partnership with Mencap NI and Queen's University ... more The research project was led by Praxis Care in partnership with Mencap NI and Queen's University Belfast and so the support of these three organisations is acknowledged. The project was informed at key points throughout the research process by an International Advisory Group which included specialist disabled and non-disabled researchers with expertise in this area. Advisory group members advised on issues such as the existing research, the interview schedule, data analysis and dissemination.

Routledge Companion to Peace and Conflict Studies, 2019

Research Involvement and Engagement

Routledge eBooks, Jul 24, 2019

Gendered Perspectives on International Development

The Palgrave Encyclopedia of Global Security Studies, 2021

The Routledge Handbook of Disability in Southern Africa, 2018

International Journal of Law and Psychiatry, 2020

Health & Social Care in the Community, 2020

Routledge Companion to Peace and Conflict Studies, 2019

Child Care in Practice, 2014

There has been limited attention paid to the link between conflict and disability and even less r... more There has been limited attention paid to the link between conflict and disability and even less recognition for the importance of facilitating inclusion of children and young people with disabilities in post-conflict societies. The end of a civil conflict provides an opportunity for social and political change, and progressive education policies that are human rights based and influenced by international guidance are often introduced at this time. While the introduction of policies that address inclusive education is a commendable first step, they often fail to be implemented because they do not address country-specific circumstances and the necessary resources remain uncommitted. In order to experience a more successful programme of inclusion within education reform, political will is needed. Education strategies need to recognise that the conflict will have increased the number of children and young people with disabilities (UNICEF (2009) "Machel study 10-year strategic review: children and conflict in a changing world") and that the education of children with disabilities will have a substantial impact on the wider community. Convincing governments to invest in the education of children with disabilities can be difficult, but presenting areas where the investment can reap rewards may be beneficial. Three target areas that many post-conflict societies aim to address are: building an inclusive society; poverty reduction; and meeting international objectives (which may have implications for aid or other benefits). Targeted investment in facilitating inclusive education can help achieve all three of these challenges and has the potential to contribute to the stability of the country.

In 2010, the Equality Commission for Northern Ireland (ECNI), as part of the Independent Mechanis... more In 2010, the Equality Commission for Northern Ireland (ECNI), as part of the Independent Mechanism in Northern Ireland, contracted research to develop an expert paper to set out robust evidence of any substantive shortfalls in public policy
and programme delivery in Northern Ireland relative to the key requirements of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD);
highlighting any key issues/barriers to full implementation. The report, ‘Disability
programmes and policies: How does Northern Ireland measure up?’ was published by ECNI in 2012. The present report was commissioned by the ECNI to update the 2012 Report and to contribute to the evidence base the ECNI will draw upon in its
engagement with the examination of the United Kingdom by the UNCRPD in 2014 and 2015.

There has been limited attention paid to the link between conflict and disability and even less r... more There has been limited attention paid to the link between conflict and disability and even less recognition for the importance of facilitating inclusion of children and young people with disabilities in post-conflict societies. The end of a civil conflict provides an opportunity for social and political change, and progressive education policies that are human rights based and influenced by international guidance are often introduced at this time. While the introduction of policies that address inclusive education is a commendable first step, they often fail to be implemented because they do not address country-specific circumstances and the necessary resources remain uncommitted. In order to experience a more successful programme of inclusion within education reform, political will is needed. Education strategies need to recognise that the conflict will have increased the number of children and young people with disabilities (UNICEF (2009) “Machel study 10-year strategic review: children and conflict in a changing world”) and that the education of children with disabilities will have a substantial impact on the wider community. Convincing governments to invest in the education of children with disabilities can be difficult, but presenting areas where the investment can reap rewards may be beneficial. Three target areas that many post-conflict societies aim to address are: building an inclusive society; poverty reduction; and meeting international objectives (which may have implications for aid or other benefits). Targeted investment in facilitating inclusive education can help achieve all th

Crises, Conflict and Disability: Ensuring Equality , Apr 2014

In 2010, the Equality Commission for Northern Ireland (ECNI), as part of the Independent Mechanis... more In 2010, the Equality Commission for Northern Ireland (ECNI), as part of the Independent Mechanism in Northern Ireland, contracted research to develop an expert paper to set out robust evidence of any substantive shortfalls in public policy and programme delivery in Northern Ireland relative to the key requirements of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD); highlighting any key issues/barriers to full implementation. The report, ‘Disability programmes and policies: How does Northern Ireland measure up?’ was published by ECNI in 2012. The present report was commissioned by the ECNI to update the 2012 Report and to contribute to the evidence base the ECNI will draw upon in its engagement with the examination of the United Kingdom by the UNCRPD in 2014 and 2015.

Despite the existence of a growing body of research on the digital lives of children, little atte... more Despite the existence of a growing body of research on the digital lives of children, little attention has been paid to the similarities and differences in the ways in which by children with disabilities experience the digital environment. A literature search, which included a manual search of relevant journals, a Google search for grey literature, and database searches (including Sociological Abstracts, Education Abstracts, Cochrane, ERIC, Ovid, and Web of Science) focused on various combinations of the following terms: (children or adolescents or young or youth or teens or kids) and (disab* or special needs or autism or impair*) and (digital or online or internet), was conducted in December 2016. While many search results were returned, a large number of the articles and reports were focused on supporting professionals 1 or parents of children with disabilities 2 rather than on the children themselves. These articles were largely excluded from the study unless they also addressed the perspective of the child. Articles related to the use of assistive technology 3 were also largely omitted from the review, as well as studies primarily concerned with adults with disabilities. It is also worth noting that the majority of studies discovered focused on young people with intellectual or developmental disabilities and nearly all included adolescents with disabilities as research participants rather than children. As a result, little remains known about children with disabilities' experiences of the digital world 4 .