Chapter 30: Diary of a Disabled PhD Student
Posts 290-299 - Innovation and autoethnography (29.11. 23-12.12.23)
Context: These posts are found on my Facebook Diary of a Disabled PhD Student
I collated posts from my Facebook Diary of a Disabled PhD Student page into a Word version. A selection of these Facebook posts are in the Word version of my PhD thesis. Here, on this ‘The Diary of a Disabled PhD Student’ part of my Substack website, I collate all my Facebook posts so you can see in chronological order from when I started the Diary on 20.4.2023. Each Chapter is 9 Diary Facebook posts in chronological order. I have given the chapter a theme underneath the heading title above. There is a photo at the end of each post related to the discussion within that post. My Substack also hosts 1) The Disabled Peoples Project and Disabled Actors Project, which show biographies of different people with disabilities on different social media platforms (I am the creator, editor and contributor) and 2) The Creative Writing Hub. I reference these aspects within my Diary along with my Medium articles and Talks during my PhD. My full research website where these components can be found is www.linktr.ee/disabledphdstudent. My Diary posts reflect on different aspects of my research website together with reflecting on daily life from having disabilities and chronic illness, my experiences during a unique and unusual period of my life doing a PhD, along with other snippets of my life not related to either! I also discuss various digital media creators, journalism and TV sources within posts along with interviews done during my PhD period.
N.B I say ‘unique and unusual’ because only 2% of the UK population have a PhD*, with little research surrounding the intersectionality of those who have completed doctorates. However, indicators* suggest few disabled, working-class people complete a PhD out of them 2%. When I graduate with my PhD will mark my 20th anniversary of being a mature student at the same university. As a working-class middle-aged woman with many disabilities and chronic health conditions from a family of intergenerational struggles, I explored during my Diary of a Disabled PhD Student how the heck I got to this point. With the hope to break down the ‘Glass-Ceiling’ for others who face struggles wanting to pursue their dreams, whatever those dreams may be.
*current figures only record up to age 64!
Chapter 30 below contains Posts 290-299 (29.11.23-13.12.23 ) from my Diary of a Disabled PhD Student.
Chapter 30 Posts 290-299:
Post 290- Innovative technology helps older people stay active - 29.11.23
https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=745418420954837&id=100064600575199
Post 291- outside In - 29.11.23
Art like this makes sociological concepts of ‘insiders and outsiders’ accessible
Post 292- 'The Biggest Controversy is I've Stuck Around' Madonna 17th October 2023 O2 Arena London- 30.11.23
I recently wrote an article called The Madonna Method on Medium (I'll put a link at the bottom). Seven people have highlighted this part of the article for their future reference, received 124 'claps' and has a 70% full read. The themes I experienced in academia relate to other parts of the outside world.
https://medium.com/@disab.../the-madonna-method-13d3b11d1969
The photo below section of the article with the most engagement
Post 293- More research about disabled students difficulties
Disabled students told their access needs are 'a nuisance', survey finds – Disability News Service.
Post 294- Happy International Day of Persons with Disabilities - 3.12.23
Post 295- Happy International Day of Persons with Disabilities again!- 3.12.23
#internationaldayofpersonswithdisabilities - Explore | Facebook
Post 296 - The annual candle advent calendar - 3.12.23
Kirsty was one of my interviewees for my PhD research. She has a Facebook page raising awareness of childhood Ewing Sarcoma due to her son, Reece, ’s experience of having cancer. Every year, I light a candle for Reece on my annual candle advent calendar:
Post 297- a leading university example of disability support- 5.12.23
Sam Cleasby, AKA So Bad Ass, documents how her University of Sheffield has helped her fulfil her brilliant potential and amazing talent:
https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=885197323614042&id=100063713463728
Post 298- Guest Speaker social media /storytelling as a method of autoethnography
I was privileged to be asked to do a guest talker session for the DMU Undergraduate Creative Writing degree course:
As always, I took a photo of some obstacles on public transport. Luckily, I had a carer with me. Ironically, half the talk is about me getting the bus into town!
Yesterday 12.12.23
Link to talk recorded:
Post 299- Showing more of a need for the lived experience of cancer research
A 17-year-old boy died following non-diagnosis for cancer for seven years. This highlights more need to include cancer more within disability research from a non-medical discipline or incorporate more the lived experience within medical research.
https://metro.co.uk/.../birmingham-boy-17-died.../...
