Disability advocacy in Malawi : grassroots voices within the Federation of Disability Organizations in Malawi (FEDOMA)

The Federation of Disability Organizations in Malawi (FEDOMA) engages in disability advocacy across all scales of Malawian society, including national lobbying and grassroots activism. Much of the literature to date on disability rights movements (DRMs) focuses on minority-world movements. Majority-world contexts are systemically different, with hybrid cultural and political structures which reflect the legacy of colonialism. Exploring these DRMs expands our thinking about social movements, contributing to broadening inclusivity in disability studies. This thesis explores the advocacy work and experiences of FEDOMA’s grassroots advocates both within and outwith the organisation, focusing on voice as a resource. I investigate the internal dynamics of FEDOMA that effect members’ motivation to activism and seek to understand the role of grassroots voices in reproducing and altering systemic structures. To achieve these aims, I devised a two- stage research project. In Stage 1, I conducted a “participatory design process” with FEDOMA, to develop the study. In Stage 2, I conducted interviews and participant observation with grassroots DDF members in four sites across Malawi and FEDOMA staff at national headquarters. I used structuration theory as a basis to develop a “hybrid disability studies” approach to data analysis, exploring the relationships between, and mutual constitution of, structures and agents. The discussion centres on (i) emotion, trust, and leadership as relational resources for advocacy, (ii) resource transference across scales and space-time, (iii) integration of hybrid structural schemas into advocacy work, and (iv) the importance of hearing and listening on the part of FEDOMA in sustaining an engaged grassroots base. The analysis finds that activists use the resources of global systems in combination with local knowledges to address the needs of modern, neo/post-colonial, hybrid societies. Developing hybrid, place-centric disability and social movement studies is one way to explore the complex, and sometimes contradictory, realities of social organising in majority-world contexts

Transforming knowledge systems for life on Earth: Visions of future systems and how to get there

Formalised knowledge systems, including universities and research institutes, are important for contemporary societies. They are, however, also arguably failing humanity when their impact is measured against the level of progress being made in stimulating the societal changes needed to address challenges like climate change. In this research we used a novel futures-oriented and participatory approach that asked what future envisioned knowledge systems might need to look like and how we might get there. Findings suggest that envisioned future systems will need to be much more collaborative, open, diverse, egalitarian, and able to work with values and systemic issues. They will also need to go beyond producing knowledge about our world to generating wisdom about how to act within it. To get to envisioned systems we will need to rapidly scale methodological innovations, connect innovators, and creatively accelerate learning about working with intractable challenges. We will also need to create new funding schemes, a global knowledge commons, and challenge deeply held assumptions. To genuinely be a creative force in supporting longevity of human and non-human life on our planet, the shift in knowledge systems will probably need to be at the scale of the enlightenment and speed of the scientific and technological revolution accompanying the second World War. This will require bold and strategic action from governments, scientists, civic society and sustained transformational intent

Transforming knowledge systems for life on Earth : Visions of future systems and how to get there

Formalised knowledge systems, including universities and research institutes, are important for contemporary societies. They are, however, also arguably failing humanity when their impact is measured against the level of progress being made in stimulating the societal changes needed to address challenges like climate change. In this research we used a novel futures-oriented and participatory approach that asked what future envisioned knowledge systems might need to look like and how we might get there. Findings suggest that envisioned future systems will need to be much more collaborative, open, diverse, egalitarian, and able to work with values and systemic issues. They will also need to go beyond producing knowledge about our world to generating wisdom about how to act within it. To get to envisioned systems we will need to rapidly scale methodological innovations, connect innovators, and creatively accelerate learning about working with intractable challenges. We will also need to create new funding schemes, a global knowledge commons, and challenge deeply held assumptions. To genuinely be a creative force in supporting longevity of human and non-human life on our planet, the shift in knowledge systems will probably need to be at the scale of the enlightenment and speed of the scientific and technological revolution accompanying the second World War. This will require bold and strategic action from governments, scientists, civic society and sustained transformational intent.Peer reviewe

Transforming knowledge systems for life on Earth: Visions of future systems and how to get there

Formalised knowledge systems, including universities and research institutes, are important for contemporary societies. They are, however, also arguably failing humanity when their impact is measured against the level of progress being made in stimulating the societal changes needed to address challenges like climate change. In this research we used a novel futures-oriented and participatory approach that asked what future envisioned knowledge systems might need to look like and how we might get there. Findings suggest that envisioned future systems will need to be much more collaborative, open, diverse, egalitarian, and able to work with values and systemic issues. They will also need to go beyond producing knowledge about our world to generating wisdom about how to act within it. To get to envisioned systems we will need to rapidly scale methodological innovations, connect innovators, and creatively accelerate learning about working with intractable challenges. We will also need to create new funding schemes, a global knowledge commons, and challenge deeply held assumptions. To genuinely be a creative force in supporting longevity of human and non-human life on our planet, the shift in knowledge systems will probably need to be at the scale of the enlightenment and speed of the scientific and technological revolution accompanying the second World War. This will require bold and strategic action from governments, scientists, civic society and sustained transformational intent