Crip Spacetime: Access, Failure, and Accountability in Academic Life

Margaret Price argues that individual accommodations in academia impede access and result in a unique experience of "crip spacetime" for disabled academics. She calls for the university to move away from individualized models of accommodation and toward a new system of collective accountability and care.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 240 pages
Publication date: 19 April 2024
Publisher: Duke University Press

In the realm of academia, where competitiveness and productivity are highly valued, Margaret Price steps in with a unique perspective. Through extensive research, including over three hundred interviews and survey responses, Price sheds light on the experiences of disabled academics, challenging the prevailing notion that individual accommodations are the primary means of addressing accessibility. Instead, she argues that these accommodations often hinder rather than enhance access, creating a distinct experience of space, time, and being known as "crip spacetime."

Price delves into the ways in which disability factors into the exclusionary practices prevalent in universities. She highlights the disproportionate harm faced by multiply marginalized academics, who are often left behind in the pursuit of academic success. By drawing on the knowledge and expertise of disabled academics themselves, Price advocates for a shift away from individualized models of accommodation and towards a new system of collective accountability and care.

She calls upon the university to recognize the valuable contributions of disabled academics and to work towards creating an inclusive and equitable environment that fosters sustainable forms of access. Price emphasizes the importance of dismantling barriers and promoting diversity and inclusion in all aspects of academia, including teaching, research, and administration.

Through her compelling research and bold advocacy, Margaret Price inspires a reimagining of the academic landscape, where the unique experiences and perspectives of disabled academics are valued and celebrated. Her work serves as a reminder that accessibility is not just a matter of individual accommodations but a collective responsibility, and that the university has a critical role to play in creating a more inclusive and equitable world for all.

Weight: 372g
Dimension: 152 x 229 x 16 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781478030379