Kathryn Wright
Biography
Kathryn Wright is at the final stage of a joint degree in social work and anthropology. She is interested in how disability, particularly intellectual and developmental disability, is defined by academic fields and fields of practice, such as anthropology, social sciences, education, social work, and policy-making, as well as the alternative definitions of disability that spring from disabled communities and disability activism. She also focuses on the role of social engagement in extending or limiting personhood and well-being. Her dissertation, using qualitative methods, investigates the identities and social relations of racialized middle school students labeled with disability in the broader social context of racism, ableism, and class-based prejudice. This research, a 10-month ethnography using participant-observation, interviews, and focus groups, draws implications for education policy, disability policy, and social services provision.
Education
B.A., Oberlin College
M.A., University of Michigan
M.S.W., Wayne State University
Research Focus
Disability and personhood in the context of educational institutions
Accessible research ethics and methods
Education policy