Congratulations to Dr Kelsey Chapman on her PhD Conferral
Congratulations Dr Kelsey Chapman, who had her PhD conferred in February, 2024. Dr Chapman completed her PhD at Griffith University with support from the Hopkins Centre and supervisors Professor Elizabeth Kendall, Associate Professor Carolyn Ehrlich, and Dr Kelly Clanchy.
Throughout her PhD, Kelsey explored dignity in the context of disability, using Critical Disability Theory and inclusive research methods. The outcome was the development of a model that integrates the definitions and experiences of dignity for people with disability with practical recommendations. The model was designed for integration into research and the design and delivery of mainstream systems and services that support people with disability. Kelsey’s thesis consisted of four peer-reviewed publications across four discrete studies.
Study 1 was a scoping literature review that revealed a lack of inclusive research methods used to study dignity for people with disability.
Study 2 involved the creation of the Dignity Project framework for Extreme Citizen Science to conduct dignified research. Based on four principles of importance, the framework suggests researchers:
- Ground research in a human rights conceptualisation of disability;
- Eliminate barriers to participation—intersectionality and authenticity;
- Diversify in engagement—accessibility and inclusion; and
- Work in transparent ways.
Study 3 sought to define dignity from the perspectives of lived experience and concluded that dignity is contingent on the acknowledgement of personhood.
Study 4 validated and extended the understanding of dignity in a transport system.
Kelsey’s thesis contributed a novel model of dignity for people with disability comprised of four critical components:
- Delivery of human rights
- Maximising accessibility and inclusion
- Explicitly addressing gaps; and
- Creating responsive interfaces
These components can be realised through a series of strategic actions at mirco, meso, and macro levels.
Kelsey’s work has also been recognised in The Conversation, with five dignity and disability related articles published.
In 2022, Kelsey and The Dignity team were recognised for this important work, with selection as a finalist for the Eureka Prize, Innovation in Citizen Science.
