Making Persons with Disabilities Full Citizens –
New Knowledge for an Inclusive and Sustainable Social Model

Einen deutschsprachigen Einstiegstext zum Projekt finden Sie hier [Brief summary in german language]

• Coordinator: Prof. Bjørn Hvinden, NOVA-Norwegian Social Research, Oslo (NO)
• Partners: Charles University of Prague (CZ), National University of Ireland, Galway (IE), University of Cologne (DE), University of Florence (IT), University of Uppsala (SE), Swiss Paraplegic Research (CH), University of York (UK), Mental Disability Rights Initiative of Serbia (RS), European Disability Forum (BE)
• Partner at the University of Cologne: Professor Anne Waldschmidt, PhD, International research unit Disability Studies (iDiS), Institute of Sociology and Politics of Rehabilitation, Disability Studies, Faculty of Human Sciences
• Research Fellows: Anemari Karacic, M.A.; Andreas Sturm, M.A.
• Research assistant: Shadi Heinrich, Dipl. Des., Timo Dins, B.A.
• Term: February 1, 2013 – January 31, 2016
• Funding: European Commission, Seventh Framework Programme, Collaborative project, Cooperation work programme “Socio-Economic Sciences and Humanities” (SSH), Brussels; Call (part) identifier: FP7-SSH-2012-2 – 320079
• Official Website: blogg.hioa.no/discit
• Contact: discit-research@uni-koeln.de

The research consortium DISCIT aimed to produce new knowledge enabling Member States, affiliated European countries and the European Union to achieve full and effective participation of persons with disabilities in society and the economy. In investigating the social and political conditions for making such participation a reality, the project adopted a multifaceted understanding of Active Citizenship. Using a multilevel and institutional perspective, DISCIT examined how different types of policies (social benefits, social services and social regulation instruments) can be mutually supportive in enhancing Active Citizenship for persons with disabilities. With the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) as a framework of reference, DISCIT identified more effective ways to remove and prevent physical, attitudinal, social and organisational barriers to Active Citizenship and participation on an equal basis with others, in a context of rapid social and economic change and evolving conceptions of disability across European societies. DISCIT synthesised policy lessons from a strategic sample of European states: ‘Liberal’ (Ireland, United Kingdom), ‘Conservative’ (Germany, Italy), ‘Social Democratic’ (Norway, Sweden) and ‘Post-Communist’ (Czech Republic, Serbia) regimes. DISCIT involved consortium members from all these countries in addition to Switzerland and Belgium. DISCIT’s results provided new insight into how the European Union can support Member States and affiliated European countries in working towards the realization of the rights of persons with disabilities as expressed in the Fundamental Rights under the EC Treaty and the CRPD. By clarifying the possibilities for a strengthened synergy between policies at diverse levels of governance, DISCIT contributed to knowledge for realizing the ambitions of the EU Disability Strategy 2010-2020 and the Europe 2020 Strategy for Smart, Sustainable and Inclusive Growth. DISCIT had a duration of 36 months; was coordinated by Norwegian Social Research (NOVA); the consortium members were universities, research institutes and two civil society organisations (EDF and MDRI-S). The consortium was supported by a Scientific Advisory Committee with distinguished members mainly from countries not covered by the consortium members, a European Stakeholder Committee and eight National Stakeholder Committees.

Publications

• Halvorsen,  Rune / Hvinden,  Bjørn / Beadle Brown, Julie / Biggeri, Mario / Tøssebro, Jan / Waldschmidt, Anne (Eds.) (2018). Understanding the Lived Experiences of Persons with Disabilities in Nine Countries. Active Citizenship and Disability in Europe Volume 2.  London, New York (Routledge). 
• Karacic, Anemari / Sturm, Andreas / Waldschmidt, Anne / Dins, Timo. (2018). Identity and Political Participation Throughout the Life Course – the Experiences of Persons with Disabilities in European Countries. In: Halvorsen, Rune et al.  (eds.). Lived Experiences of Persons with Disabilities: Active Citizenship and Disability in Europe Volume 2. London: Routledge, pp. 83-101.
• Halvorsen, Rune / Hvinden, Bjørn / Beadle Brown, Julie / Biggeri, Mario / Tøssebro, Jan / Waldschmidt, Anne. (2018). Changing Opportunities for Active Citizenship: Understanding the Lived Experiences of Persons with Disabilities. In: Halvorsen, Rune et al. (eds.). Understanding the Lived Experiences of Persons with Disabilities in Nine Countries. Active Citizenship and Disability in Europe Volume 2. Abingdon, London, New York (Routledge), pp. 1-16.
• Halvorsen, Rune / Hvinden, Bjørn / Biggeri, Mario / Waldschmidt, Anne. (2018). Connecting Lived Lives and Disability Policy – Active Citizenship from a Life-Course Perspective. In: Halvorsen, Rune et al.  (eds.). Understanding the Lived Experiences of Persons with Disabilities in Nine Countries. Active Citizenship and Disability in Europe Volume 2. Abingdon, London, New York (Routledge), pp. 17-34.
• Halvorsen, Rune / Hvinden, Bjørn / Beadle Brown, Julie / Biggeri, Mario / Tøssebro, Jan / Waldschmidt, Anne. (2018). Rethinking Active Citizenship: Lessons from Life-Course Interviews in Nine European Countries. In: Halvorsen, Rune et al.  (eds.). Understanding the Lived Experiences of Persons with Disabilities in Nine Countries. Active Citizenship and Disability in Europe Volume 2. Abingdon, London, New York (Routledge), pp. 208-228.
• Karacic, Anemari / Waldschmidt, Anne. (2018). Biographie und Behinderung. In: Lutz, Helma / Schiebel, Martina / Tuider, Elisabeth (Hrsg.). Handbuch Biographieforschung. Wiesbaden: Springer-VS, S. 415-425.
• Sturm, Andreas / Waldschmidt, Anne / Karacic, Anemari / Dins, Timo. (2017). Exercising Influence at the European Level – Political Opportunity Structures of Disability Rights Advocacy and Impacts of the UN CRPD. In: Hvinden, Bjørn / Bickenbach, Jerome / Ferri, Delia / Halvorsen, Rune / Rodriguez, Ana Marta Guillén (Eds.). The Changing Disability Policy System: Active Citizenship and Disability in Europe Volume 1. London: Routledge, pp. 159-176.
• Waldschmidt, Anne / Sturm, Andreas / Karacic, Anemari / Dins, Timo. (2017). Implementing the UN CRPD in European Countries – a Comparative Study on the Involvement of Organisations Representing Persons with Disabilities. In: Hvinden, Bjørn / Bickenbach, Jerome / Ferri, Delia / Halvorsen, Rune / Rodriguez, Ana Marta Guillén (Eds.). The Changing Disability Policy System: Active Citizenship and Disability in Europe Volume 1. London: Routledge, pp. 177-195.
• Waldschmidt, Anne. (2016). Europäische und Internationale Behindertenpolitik. In: Dederich, Markus / Beck, Iris / Antor, Georg / Bleidick, Ulrich (Eds.) Handlexikon der Behindertenpädagogik. Schlüsselbegriffe aus Theorie und Praxis. Stuttgart: Kohlhammer (3rd revised and extended edition), S.440-445.
• Waldschmidt, Anne / Karacic, Anemari / Sturm, Andreas / Dins, Timo. (2015). “Nothing about us without us” – Disability Rights Activism in European Countries: A Comparative Analysis. In: Moving the Social. Journal of Social History and the History of Social Movements. Special Issue on Disability Movements: National Policies and Transnational Perspectives, no. 53, pp. 103-137.

Routledge: Active Citizenship and Disability in Europe Volume 1 & 2

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Project-Related Master and Doctoral Theses

• Dins, Timo (2015): Paradoxien der Selbstbestimmung – Subjektive Sichtweisen von Menschen mit Lernschwierigkeiten. [Paradoxes of Self-Determination – Subjective Perspectives of Persons with Learning Difficulties]. Degree: Master of Arts

Timeline – Involvement and Milestones of University of Cologne (UCO)

• Duration: 36 months
• 1 February 2013: Start of Project
• 26-28 February 2013: Kick-Off Conference, Brussels
• 30 August 2013: Submission of part “The relevance of Active Citizenship for persons with disabilities”, pp. 48-68, for Deliverable 2.1 “Active Citizenship for persons with disabilities – Current knowledge and analytical framework – A working paper“
• 19-20 September 2013: First Progress Meeting “State of the art and next steps”, University of Cologne
• 1 October 2013: National Stakeholder Committee Germany, Cologne. First meeting with
  • Federal Association for People with Cognitive Disabilities [Bundesvereinigung Lebenshilfe für Menschen mit geistiger Behinderung e.V.]
  • Association for Human Rights and Equality for Disabled People [NETZWERK ARTIKEL 3 e.V.]
  • Umbrella disability rights organisation for independent living [Interessenvertretung Selbstbestimmt Leben e.V.]
• November 2013: German translation available of “Policy Brief 1: DISCIT – Making Persons with Disabilities Full Citizens: New Knowledge for an Inclusive and Sustainable European Social Model”
• 15 November 2013: Submission of German national reports to Work Packages 4-7 and 9:
  • Active Citizenship in Light of new Social Inequalities
  • Active Citizenship as Labour Market Participation
  • Active Citizenship as Community Living
  • Active Citizenship through the Use of New Technology
  • Active Citizenship as Political Participation
• 30 January 2014: Submission of Deliverable 9.1 “Working Paper: A Comparative Analysis of Disability Rights Activism – with reference to the concept of Active Citizenship”.
• 3-4 March 2014: Second Progress Meeting “State of the art and next steps”, University of Florence
• 2-3 October 2014: Midterm Workshop “Achievements and Implications”, Charles University, Prague
• 10 October 2014: Publication of Deliverable 9.1 “Working Paper: A Comparative Analysis of Disability Rights Activism – with Reference to the Concept of Active Citizenship“.
• 30 January 2015: Submission of Deliverable 9.2 “Working Paper: The Internationalisation of Disability Politics – The New Opportunity Structures created by the UN CRPD”.
• 1 March 2015: Publication of Deliverable 9.2 “Working Paper: The Internationalisation of Disability Politics – The New Opportunity Structures created by the UN CRPD“.
• 27 March 2015: Publication of introductory video on Work Package 9: “Active Citizenship as Political Participation“
• May 2015: German translation available of “Policy Brief 2: DISCIT – Making Persons with Disabilities Full Citizens: New Knowledge for an Inclusive and Sustainable European Social Model”
• 4-5 June 2015: Third Progress Meeting “Preparing DISCIT Publications and Impact”, Oslo and Akershus University College of Applied Sciences, Oslo
• September 2015: Publication of  Policy Brief on Work Package 9: “Active Citizenship as Political Participation“
• 27 October 2015: Submission of Deliverable 9.3 “Working Paper: The Involvement of DPOs in the Implementation of the UN CRPD – a Cross-National Comparative Study”
• 6 November 2015: Publication of introductory video “Active Citizenship and DISCIT Project” by European Disability Forum
• 9-10 November 2015: Final Conference “The Prospects for Active Citizenship for Persons with Disabilities”, Norwegian Mission to the European Union, Brussels. See short information on panel “The UN CRPD – Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities and their Representative Organisations” and summary of DISCIT project on the official DISCIT website.
• 24 November 2015: Publication of Deliverable 9.3 “The Involvement of DPOs in the Implementation of the UN CRPD – A Cross-National Comparative Study“
• 19 January 2016: Public Workshop and Third Meeting of the DISCIT – National Stakeholder Committee, University of Cologne. See also press release on DISCIT website as of 4 February 2016.
• 19 February 2016: Article “Aktive Bürgerschaft von Menschen mit Behinderungen in Europa – Abschlusskonferenz des EU-Projekts DISCIT” [Active Citizenship of Persons with Disabilities in Europe – Final Conference of the EU Project DISCIT] published in “Teilhabe” [journal on the participation of persons with disabilities], 1/2016.
• February 2016. End of project & preparation of two edited volumes, “The Changing Disability Policy System: Active Citizenship and Disability in Europe Volume 1“, edited by Jerome Bickenbach, Delia Ferri, Rune Halvorsen, Bjørn Hvinden, Ana Marta Guillén Rodriguez, and “Lived Experiences of Persons with Disabilities:
  Active Citizenship and Disability in Europe Volume 2″, edited by Julie Beadle Brown, Mario Biggeri, Rune Halvorsen, Bjørn Hvinden, Jan Tøssebro, Anne Waldschmidt.

See more at: http://discit.eu/about