Dr Kirsty Liddiard

BA Hons, MA

School of Education

Senior Research Fellow

Co-Director of the Participatory Research Network

Committee Member, Disability Staff Network

k.liddiard@sheffield.ac.uk
+44 114 222 8111

The Wave

Full contact details

Dr Kirsty Liddiard
School of Education
The Wave
2 Whitham Road
Sheffield
S10 2AH

Profile: Kirsty Liddiard is a feminist disability studies scholar and disabled researcher whose co-produced research centres on lived experience, emotion and embodiment as core axes through which to understand the everyday lives of disabled people and their families. She is the author of The Intimate Lives of Disabled People (2018, Routledge) and the co-editor of The Palgrave Handbook of Disabled Children’s Childhood Studies (2018, Palgrave). She is also co-editor of Being Human in Covid-19 (2022, Bristol University Press) and a co-author of Living Life to the Fullest: Youth, Disability and Voice (2022, Emerald). Kirsty also co-directs the university's Participatory Research Network, a university-wide, cross faculty initiative that nurtures and supports participatory research and co-production approaches across the university. To learn more about PRN, please see: https://sheffield.ac.uk/ihuman/prn

Research interests: Kirsty's interests emerge from over 15 years of disability research around sex and love; identity and youth; disabled childhoods; studies of the pandemic; D/deaf studies and media; academic ableism; and more recently, respiratory health and illness. More specifically, Kirsty's collaborative approach to inquiry explores the ways in which disablism and ableism both inform and shape the everyday lives of disabled people and their families. Kirsty's research is primarily co-produced and/or participatory in nature - with disabled people and their families and allies; disabled people's organisations (DPOs); and arts, charitable and advocacy organisations. Her work often centres arts-informed methodologies because of the ways in which they push the boundaries of traditional social scientific thinking and enable multiple ways of thinking and knowing. Her current project, Cripping Breath: Towards a new cultural politics of respiration, funded by a Wellcome Discovery Award, explores the lives of people who have had their lives saved or sustained by ventilatory medical technologies. To learn more about this project, please see: www.sheffield.ac.uk/cripping-breath

Publications

Books

Liddiard K, Whitney-Mitchell S, Evans K, Mbe LW, Spurr R, Vogelmann E, Runswick-Cole K & Goodley D (2022) Living life to the fullest: Disability, youth and voice.
Liddiard K (2017) The Intimate Lives of Disabled People. Routledge.
Liddiard K, Curran T & Runswick-Cole K (2017) Concluding thoughts and future directions.

Edited books

(Ed.) (2022) BEING HUMAN DURING COVID- 19..
Runswick-Cole K, Curran T & Liddiard K (Eds.) (2017) The Palgrave Handbook of Disabled Children's Childhood Studies. Springer.

Journal articles

Peat G, Glover S, Radu C, Jones S, Binney G, Parkin J, Fraser L, Abbott D & Liddiard K (2025) Social care and young adults with neuromuscular conditions diagnosed in childhood. A co-produced scoping review.. Journal of Long-Term Care, 231-244. View this article in WRRO
Ellis J, Atkinson L, Glover S, Kettle J, Joseph G, Hale J, Jones A, Coles M, Bligh L, Bridgens R , O'Kane C et al (2025) Cripping inquiry: breathing life into co-produced disability methodologies. Frontiers in Sociology, 10. View this article in WRRO
White L, Buxton A, Liddiard K, Goodley D, Qarni S, Jansen E, Gordon H & Gillard S (2025) Disabled young people as researchers, designers and makers: aligning makerspaces, co-production and critical disability studies. Journal of Disability Studies in Education. View this article in WRRO
Liddiard K & Lawthom R (2025) Special Issue: Disability as a feminist issue. Feminism & Psychology, 35(2), 125-137. View this article in WRRO
Goodley D, Liddiard K & Lawthom R (2025) The depathologising university. Scandinavian Journal of Disability Research, 27(1), 120-133. View this article in WRRO
Liddiard K, Atkinson L, Evans K, Gibson B, Goodley D, Hale J, Lawson R, Runswick-Cole K, Spurr R, Vogelmann E , Watts L et al (2024) “No-one’s contribution is more valid than another’s”: Committing to inclusive democratic methodologies. Research in Education. View this article in WRRO
Goodley D, Lawthom R, Liddiard K & Runswick-Cole K (2023) Affect, dis/ability and the pandemic. Sociology of Health and Illness, 45(6), 1187-1204. View this article in WRRO
Martin P, De Saille S, Liddiard K & Pearce W (2022) Introduction. Being Human During Covid 19, 1-9.
Goodley D, Lawthom R, Liddiard K & Runswick-Cole K (2021) Key concerns for critical disability studies. International Journal of Disability and Social Justice, 1(1), 27-49. View this article in WRRO
Goodley D, Lawthom R, Liddiard K & Runswick-Cole-Cole K (2021) The desire for new humanisms. Journal of Disability Studies in Education, 1(1-2), 125-144.
Goodley D, Cameron D, Liddiard K, Parry R, Runswick-Cole K, Whitburn B & Wong ME (2020) Rebooting inclusive education? New technologies and disabled people. Canadian Journal of Disability Studies, 9(5), 515-549. View this article in WRRO
Liddiard K, Whitney S, Evans K, Watts L, Vogelmann E, Spurr R, Aimes C, Runswick-Cole K & Goodley D (2019) Working the edges of Posthuman disability studies : theorising with disabled young people with life-limiting impairments. Sociology of Health & Illness, 41(8), 1473-1487. View this article in WRRO
Daly A, Heah R & Liddiard K (2019) Vulnerable subjects and autonomous actors : the right to sexuality education for disabled under-18s. Global Studies of Childhood, 9(3), 235-248.
Goodley D, Lawthom R, Liddiard K & Runswick-Cole K (2019) Provocations for critical disability studies. Disability & Society, 34(6), 972-997. View this article in WRRO
Liddiard K, Runswick‐Cole K, Goodley D, Whitney S, Vogelmann E & Watts L (2019) 'I was excited by the idea of a project that focuses on those unasked questions' Co-producing disability research with disabled young people. Children & Society, 33(2), 154-167. View this article in WRRO
Rice C, Chandler E, Liddiard K, Rinaldi J & Harrison E (2018) Pedagogical possibilities for unruly bodies. Gender and Education, 30(5), 663-682. View this article in WRRO
Liddiard K & Slater J (2018) ‘Like, pissing yourself is not a particularly attractive quality, let’s be honest’: learning to contain through youth, adulthood, disability and sexuality. Sexualities, 21(3). View this article in WRRO
Goodley D, Liddiard K & Runswick-Cole K (2018) Feeling disability: Theories of affect and critical disability studies. Disability and Society, 33(2), 197-217. View this article in WRRO
Liddiard K (2016) Imagining Disability Futurities. Hypatia. View this article in WRRO
Liddiard K & Goodley D (2016) The mouth and disa/bility. Community Dental Health, 33(2), 152-155. View this article in WRRO
Ignagni E, Fudge Schormans A, Liddiard K & Runswick-Cole K (2016) 'Some people are not allowed to love': intimate citizenship in the lives of people labelled with intellectual disabilities. Disability and Society. View this article in WRRO
Goodley D, Runswick Cole K & Liddiard K (2015) The DisHuman child. Discourse: Studies in the Cultural Politics of Education.
Liddiard K (2015) Disability, human rights and the limits of humanitarianism. Disability and Society , 30(9), 1445-1448. View this article in WRRO
Rice C, Chandler E, Harrison E, Liddiard K & Ferrari M (2015) Project Re•center dot Vision: disability at the edges of representation. Disabiltiy and Society, 30(4), 513-527. View this article in WRRO
Liddiard K (2014) Liking for Like’s Sake – The Commodification of Disability on Facebook. Journal of Developmental Disabilities, 20(3), 94-101.
Liddiard K (2014) 'I never felt like she was just doing it for the money': Disabled men's intimate (gendered) realities of purchasing sexual pleasure and intimacy. Sexualities, 17(7), 837-855. View this article in WRRO
Liddiard K (2014) The work of disabled identities in intimate relationships. Disability & Society, 29(1), 115-128.
Liddiard K (2013) Reflections on the Process of Researching Disabled People's Sexual Lives. Sociological Research Online, 18(3), 105-117.
Ignagni E, Chandler E, Collins K, Darby A & Liddiard K () Designing Access Together: Surviving the Demand for Resilience. Canadian Journal of Disability Studies, 8(4), 293-320.
Slater T & Liddiard K () Why Disability Studies Scholars Must Challenge Transmisogyny and Transphobia. Canadian Journal of Disability Studies, 7(2), 83-93.

Book chapters

Kettle J, Glover S & Liddiard K (2026) Fear, Familiarity, and Freedom: Narratives of Breathing, Breathlessness, and Ventilation, Handbooks in Philosophy (pp. 1-24). Springer Nature Switzerland
Goodley D, Lawthom R, Liddiard K & Cole KR (2025) Critical Disability Studies, The Palgrave Handbook of Critical Social Psychology (pp. 531-545). Springer Nature Switzerland
Runswick-Cole K, Goodley D & Liddiard K (2023) Inviting disability: disabled children and studies of childhood In Balagopalan S, Wall J & Wells K (Ed.), The Bloomsbury Handbook of Theories in Childhood Studies (pp. 85-95). Bloomsbury View this article in WRRO
Runswick-Cole K, Goodley D, Liddiard K & Whitney S (2023) 'It's about quality of life rather than length of life': using and refusing policy discourse in the lives of children labelled with life-limiting and/or life-threatening conditions, Research Handbook on Disability Policy (pp. 636-652). Edward Elgar Publishing
Runswick-Cole K, Goodley D & Liddiard K (2023) Inviting Disability (pp. 85-95). Bloomsbury Publishing Plc
Goodley D, Liddiard K, Runswick-Cole K, Watts L, Whitney S, Dobbin H & Moss C (2022) Posthumanist Disability Studies, Palgrave Handbook of Critical Posthumanism (pp. 793-822). Springer International Publishing
(2022) Prelims, Living Life to the Fullest: Disability, Youth and Voice (pp. i-xii). Emerald Publishing Limited
(2022) Making Meaningful Impact in and with Schools, Living Life to the Fullest: Disability, Youth and Voice (pp. 115-124). Emerald Publishing Limited
Evans K, Whitney-Mitchell S & Liddiard K (2022) Desiring Life and Living with Death, Living Life to the Fullest: Disability, Youth and Voice (pp. 125-145). Emerald Publishing Limited
Evans K, Whitney-Mitchell S & Liddiard K (2022) Rethinking Sexuality, Our Intimate Selves and Our Relationships with Others, Living Life to the Fullest: Disability, Youth and Voice (pp. 79-98). Emerald Publishing Limited
Goodley D, Runswick-Cole K & Liddiard K (2022) Theorising Disability: Towards a DisHuman Perspective, Living Life to the Fullest: Disability, Youth and Voice (pp. 11-23). Emerald Publishing Limited
Liddiard K, Runswick-Cole K, Goodley D, Spurr R, Whitney S, Vogelmann E, MBE LW & Evans K (2022) “Why Would I Go to Hospital if It’s Not Going to Try and Save Me?”: Disabled Young People’s Experiences of the COVID-19 Crisis (pp. 60-66). Bristol University Press
Arthur KNA, Amanatidou E, Saille SD, Birabi T & Pandey P (2022) Where Will an Emerging Post-COVID-19 Future Position the Human? (pp. 117-123). Bristol University Press
Røstvik CM, Kennedy H, Aiello G & Anderson CW (2022) The Role of Everyday Visuals in ‘Knowing Humans’ During COVID-19, Being Human During COVID-19 (pp. 28-35). Bristol University Press
Martin P, Saille SD, Liddiard K & Pearce W (2022) Introduction (pp. 1-10). Bristol University Press
Martin P, Saille SD, Liddiard K & Pearce W (2022) Conclusion: Thinking about ‘the Human’ during COVID-19 Times (pp. 147-155). Bristol University Press
Liddiard K, Runswick-Cole K, Goodley D, Spurr R, Whitney S, Vogelmann E, Watts MBE L & Evans K (2022) “Why Would I Go to Hospital if It’s Not Going to Try and Save Me?”: Disabled Young People’s Experiences of the COVID-19 Crisis, Being Human During COVID-19 (pp. 60-66). Policy Press
Liddiard K, Runswick-Cole K, Goodley D, Spurr R, Whitney S, Vogelmann E, Watts L & Evans K (2022) “Why Would I Go to Hospital if It’s Not Going to Try and Save Me?”: Disabled Young People’s Experiences of the COVID-19 Crisis, Being Human During COVID-19 (pp. 60-66). Bristol University Press
Martin P, Saille SD, Liddiard K & Pearce W (2022) Introduction, Being Human During COVID-19 (pp. 1-10). Policy Press
Martin P, de Saille S, Liddiard K & Pearce W (2022) Introduction, Being Human During COVID-19 (pp. 1-10). Bristol University Press
Martin P, Saille SD, Liddiard K & Pearce W (2022) Conclusion: Thinking about ‘the Human’ during COVID-19 Times, Being Human During COVID-19 (pp. 147-155). Policy Press
Martin P, Saille SD, Liddiard K & Pearce W (2022) Conclusion: Thinking about ‘the Human’ during COVID-19 Times, Being Human During COVID-19 (pp. 147-155). Bristol University Press
Liddiard K & Mbe LW (2022) Co-production, participatory and emancipatory disability research, Living Life to the Fullest Disability Youth and Voice (pp. 25-42).
Goodley D, Liddiard K, Runswick-Cole K, Watts L, Whitney S, Dobbin H & Moss C (2022) Posthumanist Disability Studies, Palgrave Handbook of Critical Posthumanism (pp. 1-30). Springer International Publishing
Vicari S & Yang Z (2022) Humans, COVID- 19 and Platform Societies, Being Human During Covid 19 (pp. 36-43).
Williams R (2022) “I’ve Got People’s Spit All over Me!”: Reflections on the Future of Life- Saving Stem Cell Donor Recruitment, Being Human During Covid 19 (pp. 100-107).
Martin P, de Saille S, Liddiard K & Pearce W (2022) Marginalized Humans, BEING HUMAN DURING COVID-19 (pp. 51-51).
Martin P, de Saille S, Liddiard K & Pearce W (2022) Knowing Humans, BEING HUMAN DURING COVID-19 (pp. 11-11).
Martin P, de Saille S, Liddiard K & Pearce W (2022) Human Futures, BEING HUMAN DURING COVID-19 (pp. 115-115).
Martin P, de Saille S, Liddiard K & Pearce W (2022) Biosocial Humans, BEING HUMAN DURING COVID-19 (pp. 83-83).
Martin P, de Saille S, Liddiard K & Pearce W (2022) BEING HUMAN DURING COVID-19 Introduction, BEING HUMAN DURING COVID-19 (pp. 1-9).
Liddiard K (2020) Theorising disabled people’s sexual, intimate, and erotic lives, The Routledge Handbook of Disability and Sexuality (pp. 39-52). Routledge
Goodley D, Lawthom R, Liddiard K & Runswick-Cole K (2019) Towards a DisHuman Civil Society, The Palgrave Handbook of Disability and Citizenship in the Global South (pp. 211-222). Springer International Publishing
Goodley D, Lawthom R, Liddiard K & Runswick-Cole K (2018) POSTHUMAN DISABILITY AND DISHUMAN STUDIES, Posthuman Glossary (pp. 342-345).
Jones L & Liddiard K (2018) A Diversity of Childhoods: Considering the Looked After Childhood, The Palgrave Handbook of Disabled Children’s Childhood Studies (pp. 389-408). Palgrave Macmillan UK
Goodley D, Lawthom R, Liddiard K & Cole KR (2017) Critical Disability Studies, The Palgrave Handbook of Critical Social Psychology (pp. 491-505). Palgrave Macmillan UK
() Manifestos for the Future of Critical Disability Studies In Ellis K, Garland-Thomson R, Kent M & Robertson R (Ed.) Routledge
() Disability, Normalcy, and the Everyday In Thomas GM & Sakellariou D (Ed.) Routledge

Digital content

Mishra A, White L & Liddiard K Participatory research poses challenges to postgraduate researchers – here’s how we’re tackling the issue.
White L, Liddiard K & Goodley D On building trust: Co-producing what it means to be trustworthy.

Dictionary or encyclopaedia entries

Runswick-Cole K, Goodley D & Liddiard K (2023) Disability studies in a posthuman age. In International Encyclopedia of Education(Fourth Edition) Elsevier.
Liddiard K & Goodley D (2017) Disability and impairment. In The Wiley-Blackwell encyclopedia of social theory Wiley-Blackwell. View this article in WRRO

Preprints

White L, Picardi C, Paterson C, Towsend B, Wang J, Buxton A, Hallam-Bowles S, Liddiard K, Law J, Calinescu R & Goodley D (2023) Trustworthy Autonomous Systems and Disabled Young People: A Critical Literature Review, Center for Open Science.
Daly A, Heah R & Liddiard K () Vulnerable Subjects and Autonomous Actors: The Right to Sexuality Education for Disabled Under-18s.

Research group: Critical Disability Studies Research Cluster

Grants: Wellcome Trust Discovery Award (2024-2028) (£1,597,746; Principal Investigator) Cripping Breath: Towards a new cultural politics of respiration; 2. Wellcome Trust Institutional Funding for Research Culture (IFRC) Award (2024-2026) (£1,007,109; Academic Lead) Wellcome Anti-Ableist Research Culture (WAARC); 3. Research England (Various applications: £70,000+: Principal Investigator and co-investigator) The Participatory Research Network at the University of Sheffield

Teaching interests: Kirsty invites all forms of doctoral supervision (PhD, EdD and DEdCPsy) in the areas of disability and chronic illness, D/deaf Studies, gender and sexuality studies, academic ableism and participatory research and co-production. Kirsty has an interest in and promotes accessible pedagogies within doctoral supervision. For example, she has introduced a number of innovative interventions designed to address forms of ableism and disablism within the doctoral process and culture, such as viva accessibility plans, and has co-designed forms of accessible and inclusive support for doctoral students in the School of Education. If you would like to discuss the possibility of undertaking doctoral research under Kirsty's supervision, please get in touch.

Professional activities and memberships: Kirsty is an Executive Editor of the International Journal of Disability and Social Justice, a leading Diamond Open Access journal (Pluto). She also sits on the Wellcome Trust’s Advisory Board for Arts and Humanities reviewing inter/national application submissions in order to shortlist applicants for interview. More recently, she has joined the Board of Trustees for Pathfinders Neuromuscular Alliance (PNA) and now works with disability arts organisation Touretteshero on its Knowledge for Change Guiding Group, made up of key thinkers on disability issues from around the UK.