Stefanie Reher
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stefaniereher.bsky.social
Stefanie Reher
@stefaniereher.bsky.social
2.7K followers 1.1K following 24 posts
Political scientist at Uni of Strathclyde, Glasgow | researching political attitudes, disability, political representation
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stefaniereher.bsky.social
In our short @politicalquarterly.bsky.social article "No Level Playing Field" @elizabethjevans.bsky.social and I discuss the barriers to disability representation in politics:

Why are there so few disabled people in politics, why does it matter, and what needs to be done?

doi.org/10.1111/1467...
While one in five people in the UK are disabled, their number among elected representatives remains disproportionately low. In ongoing efforts to make politics more inclusive and diverse, disabled people often remain sidelined. As a politically relevant identity, disability is associated with a shared set of experiences and policy interests which are often overlooked. This is at least in part owing to the under-representation of disabled politicians, which is likely also contributing to a sense of political alienation. Thus, tackling the barriers that disabled people experience in the political recruitment process is not only a matter of democratic justice and equality, but also essential for ensuring that disabled people’s needs and concerns are recognised and met. This article outlines the obstacles that disabled people experience in pursuing elected office--including inaccessibility, inadequate financial resources and ableist institutions and cultures--and offers recommendations to
October 2, 2024 at 11:36 AM
stefaniereher.bsky.social
@elizabethjevans.bsky.social and I have a new article out: "Someone Like Me? Disability Identity and Representation Perceptions". doi.org/10.1007/s111...

Through survey experiments in UK+US we found:

🦾Disabled citizens feel better represented by disabled than non-disabled candidates. (1/3)
Abstract: Studies have shown that citizens from minoritized groups, including women and people of color, tend to feel better represented by politicians who share their identity, often translating into electoral support. Is this also the case for disabled people, one of the largest yet often ignored minority groups in our societies? Analyses of data from a conjoint survey experiment with 6,000 respondents in the UK and US show that disabled people indeed feel better represented by disabled candidates. This representational link does not require a sense of group identity and is only partly explained by perceptions of shared policy preferences. The study also reveals that non-disabled people feel better represented by non-disabled candidates. The findings highlight the relevance of disability as a political identity, bolstering calls for more disabled people in politics, and might help explain the disability gaps in political trust and participation.
August 28, 2024 at 11:19 AM
stefaniereher.bsky.social
Nice way of summarising your research profile
Worldcloud with representation, political, policy, congruence shown as largest; followed by disabled, democracy, satisfaction, disability, priorities
September 25, 2023 at 12:25 PM