Ableist Institutions, Barriers, and Lived Experiences of Representation

Abstract

Abstract This chapter analyses the experiences and perspectives of disabled candidates and politicians in the UK drawing on rich interview data to examine the barriers to elected office and to representation once they are elected. It addresses three key questions: how can ableism help us to understand political institutions? What are the main barriers to elected office reported by disabled candidates, aspiring candidates, and politicians? Finally, what are the experiences of disabled politicians once elected? Recognizing the important role that political institutions play in determining the rules and informal norms and cultures, the chapter brings together ideas from feminist institutionalism with insights from disability studies. It develops the concept of ableist institutions to help explore the ways in which disabled people are marginalized or excluded within political institutions which were not designed to be inclusive. The three key barriers identified which pervade both political recruitment and representative processes relate to accessibility, resourcing, and political culture. The chapter argues that ableist institutions normalize and recreate power dynamics in such a way as to ‘other’ disabled politicians, making it harder for them to carry out their representative duties.