Disability and Political Representation

Disability and Political Representation explores how disabled people experience the various stages and aspects of the representation process, drawing upon extensive empirical research and a variety of qualitative and quantitative data. It discusses why increasing the number of disabled politicians matters, not only as a matter of justice and equality but also to better represent the issues and interests of importance to disabled people.

Evans and Reher identify a variety of ableist barriers prevent disabled people from fully participating in the political process, from disenfranchisement and inaccessible polling stations to prejudice within parties and a lack of financial support for candidates who require adjustments. The work shows that while the preferences of disabled citizens are currently under-represented in parliament, disabled representatives often draw on their lived experience to advocate for their interests. The concept of experiential representation is developed to help scholars and practitioners better navigate the concept of political representation, specifically as it relates to disability. Thus, the book explores how disability can help us think about the contours of political representation. It presents and analyses a range of diverse and original data, including qualitative data generated from interviews with disabled politicians and activists in the UK, quantitative survey data on the political attitudes and participation of disabled citizens from across Europe, and data from survey experiments examining voter perceptions of disabled politicians in the UK and the US.

Elizabeth Evans, Professor of Politics, University of Southampton, Stefanie Reher, Reader, School of Government & Public Policy, University of Strathclyde

Professor Elizabeth Evans is Professor of Politics at University of Southampton. Her research explores the relationships between social movements, political parties, and political representation. Her work has received funding from the ESRC, British Academy, Government Equalities Office, and the ISRF. She has authored two books, co-edited one book, and published over thirty peer reviewed articles. She was a co-founding Editor of the European Journal of Politics and Gender and is currently Editor in Chief of Politics. She was the 2022 winner of the Political Studies Association’s Joni Lovenduski Prize.

Dr Stefanie Reher is a Reader in the School of Government & Public Policy at the University of Strathclyde, Glasgow. Her research focuses on political representation and citizen attitudes and behaviour, and particularly on the role of disability. Her work has been funded by the ESRC, UK Government Equalities Office, and the Carnegie Trust, among others. Her articles have appeared in journals such as the British Journal of Political Science, Comparative Political Studies, and European Journal of Political Research.