Towards an Accessible Academy: Perspectives from Disabled Medievalists

Higher Education is a rich and diverse environment which allows so many different types of people and disciplines to flourish. Medieval Studies is a particular confluence of this, with the meeting of history, literature, history of art, archaeology, and more. The contributors describe their lived experience of disability and how this intersects with the discipline of Medieval Studies, embracing both the challenges and the joy this can bring. They discuss teaching, research, and just existing within the university, bringing in theoretical approaches as well as linking to medieval texts. Towards an Accessible Academy provides a unique perspective on the state of accessibility within this field and in the university environment more broadly.

This volume sits between work which centers the experience of disabled academics and which provides guidance for supporting disabled students. While providing real-life testimonies of disability in the academy, many chapters also include practical advice on best practice in supporting disabled scholars and students, as well as how the authors feel connected to the medieval sources we study.

The book is also a call to action for all of its readers to actively practise allyship, providing clear examples of how we might all implement the advice given by contributors to improve the accessibility of our academy.