WG Participation Research
Spokespersons of the working group
The working group on participation research has been headed by Prof. Dr. Marianne Hirschberg (University of Kassel, Faculty 01) and Prof. Dr. Markus Schäfers (Fulda University of Applied Sciences, Faculty SW) since the summer semester of 2021. Among other things, it pursues the goal of profiling interdisciplinary participation research that focuses on the life situation of people with impairments and the realization of their self-determination, equality and participation. The common basis is an understanding of disability as a process and result of the interactions between personal preconditions and environmental conditions (barriers).
Research activities
Against the background of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, the research activities aim in particular at findings for the further development of social and health policy measures and strategies to improve the participation of people with disabilities. One focus of the activities is the workshop series "Research Questions in Participation Research", another is the transfer of knowledge in cooperation with professional practice.
In cooperation with AHA e.V. (Kassel), the conference "Having a part and living self-determined - requirements for outpatient assistance for people with disabilities and care needs in the community" was held on February 27, 2015.
From 08-10 March 2017, an international conference on the "Right to work for people with disabilities" (Article 27 of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities) was held in Kassel with 250 participants. Cooperation partners here were the International Center for Development and Decent Work (ICDD) of the University of Kassel and the German Social Accident Insurance (DGUV) College in Bad Hersfeld.
The nationwide "Aktionsbündnis Teilhabeforschung" (Action Alliance for Participation Research), which promotes a research funding program for participation research, is another cooperation partner of the working group. In addition to Prof. Dr. Markus Schäfers, who is the spokesperson for this action alliance, other working group members are also involved in various working groups of the alliance and thus contribute to the formation of the network.
