Miro Griffiths

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Miro Griffiths

MBE
Miro Griffiths.jpg
Born (1989-05-29) May 29, 1989 (age 32)
Birkenhead
NationalityBritish
Slovene
Alma materUniversity of Liverpool
University of Leeds
Liverpool John Moores University
Political partyLabour

Miro Griffiths (born 29 May 1989) is a prominent disabled academic and activist. Griffiths is a Leverhulme Research Fellow based at the University of Leeds where he is researching young disabled people's political engagement and activism.

Early life and education[]

Born in Birkenhead, Griffiths went to West Kirby Primary School. He wanted to go to Hilbre High School but was unable to do so because of its inaccessibility.[1] He instead went to Woodchurch High School and then Birkenhead Sixth Form.[2] His father, Dave, was an Aerospace Engineer and his mother, Helena, a Slovenian writer.[3]

At thirteen years old, he received a millennium award which led to the conceptualised development of a computer game promoting disability equality.[4]

He then went on to study Psychology at the University of Liverpool,[5] and subsequently a Master’s in Disability Studies at the University of Leeds.[6] He completed his PhD on young disabled people in the Disabled People’s Movement at Liverpool John Moores University.[7][8]

Personal life[]

Griffiths is a regular contributor to broadcast media and podcasts. He has made appearances discussing disability, politics, culture and society on 'The Human Rights Podcast', and the 'Digital Disability Podcast' and 'The Football Collective' and the HuffPost.[9] Griffiths is an ardent Wigan Athletic supporter who is also working with Dr Paul Darke on Disability and Football. He is a wheelchair user, who has spinal muscular atrophy.[10]

Academic work[]

Griffiths has worked with various organisations to promote academic work on human rights and social justice amongst young disabled people across Europe. He has partnered with the Council of Europe, the Equality and Human Rights Commission, and the British Council.[11][12][13]

He was an invited fellow of the Royal Society of Arts for recognition to disability activism and social movements.[14]

He is currently a teaching fellow in disability studies at the University of Leeds and an editor for the International Journal of Disability and Social Justice.[15][16] Also, he has been awarded the position of Leverhulme Research Fellowship at the University of Leeds.[17]

Activism[]

Griffiths is an advocate of disabled people's human rights. He has worked as a board member of the European Network on Independent Living, focusing on various aspects of disability life such as counteracting disability hate crime, social inclusion and independent living.[18][19]

He is an ardent critic of assisted suicide, and is a part of the Not Dead Yet movement.[20]

Griffiths is an active member of the Labour Party, advocating further development of disability rights and inclusion and calling for a need to ‘politicise people’s everyday experiences’.[21][22] He was also a strategic and confidential advisory network to UK Labour and subsequent Coalition government as part of his role as Member of Equality 2025.[23][24]

He holds various positions on the boards of various organisations promoting social justice including Independent Living Institute, Alliance for Inclusive Education, DaDaFest, and Liverpool City Region's 'Fairness and Social Justice Advisory Board'.[25][26][27][28]

He was awarded member of the order of the British Empire (MBE) in the Queen's Birthday Honours list 2014.[4] He was also named as an influential disabled activists by the Disability News Service.[29]

References[]

  1. ^ Caulfield, Kevin. ""How Was School?" Interviews with Disabled People about their experience of Education over the last 100 years" (PDF). Alliance for Inclusive Education – via British Library.
  2. ^ Woodchurch High School. "Woodchurch High School Awards Evening" (PDF). Woodchurch High School.
  3. ^ ESSL. "Miro Griffiths". essl.leeds.ac.uk. Retrieved 2020-08-31.
  4. ^ a b "Disability campaigner made MBE". BBC News. 2014-06-14. Retrieved 2020-08-31.
  5. ^ Griffiths, Miro. "Self Perception: How Do Disabled Students Value Themselves?". Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  6. ^ Griffiths, Miro. "The Responsibility of Direct Payments: Exploratory Research to Examine How Young Disabled People Manage Their Care". Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  7. ^ Griffiths, Miro. "These Days Are Ours: Exploring Young Disabled People's Experiences and Views of the Disabled People's Movement" (PDF). Liverpool John Moores University.
  8. ^ "The Notion of Becoming". www.ljmu.ac.uk. Retrieved 2020-08-31.
  9. ^ "Podcasts :: Concrete". www.digital-disability.com. Retrieved 2020-08-31.
  10. ^ Griffiths, Miro. "Disability Arts Online". www.disabilityartsonline.org.uk. Retrieved 2020-08-31.
  11. ^ "Miro Griffiths at the Council of Europe – on Disability Rights Activism". ENIL – European Network on Independent Living. 2017-02-28. Retrieved 2020-08-31.
  12. ^ "Disability Advisory Committee | Equality and Human Rights Commission". www.equalityhumanrights.com. Retrieved 2020-08-31.
  13. ^ British Council. "Promoting Inclusion A British Council guide to disability equality" (PDF). British Council.
  14. ^ RSA. "Social movements – an opportunity to disrupt our sense of normality - RSA". www.thersa.org. Retrieved 2020-08-31.
  15. ^ "Miro Griffiths : Centre for Disability Studies". disability-studies.leeds.ac.uk. Retrieved 2020-08-31.
  16. ^ Justice, International Journal of Disability and Social. "International Journal of Disability and Social Justice". International Journal of Disability and Social Justice. Retrieved 2020-08-31.
  17. ^ "Celebrate Our Staff – January 2020". forstaff.leeds.ac.uk. Retrieved 2020-08-31.
  18. ^ "ENIL's Activities to Tackle Disability Hate Crime in 2016". ENIL – European Network on Independent Living. 2016-12-29. Retrieved 2020-08-31.
  19. ^ European Network of Independent Living. "Supporting Young Disabled People to Explore Sexuality and Relationships as Integral to Their Social Inclusion and Independent Living". Council of Europe.
  20. ^ "VIEWPOINT: Segregation is a choice, not an accident". Discover Society. 2017-08-02. Retrieved 2020-08-31.
  21. ^ "Labour conference: Fringes hear call for ideas on how to resist years of oppression". Disability News Service. 2018-09-27. Retrieved 2020-08-31.
  22. ^ "Labour conference: Party 'must do more on rights and inclusion'". Disability News Service. 2016-09-29. Retrieved 2020-08-31.
  23. ^ "Minister announces new line-up for smaller Equality 2025". Disability News Service. 2010-03-02. Retrieved 2020-08-31.
  24. ^ "Equality 2025". GOV.UK. Retrieved 2020-08-31.
  25. ^ "Independent Living Institute Annual Report 2018 | Independent Living Institute". www.independentliving.org. Retrieved 2020-08-31.
  26. ^ "Current Debates: Part 1, Understanding Disability and the problem with "Special"". Allfie. 2019-05-20. Retrieved 2020-08-31.
  27. ^ "Dr. Miro Griffiths MBE". www.dadafest.co.uk. Retrieved 2020-08-31.
  28. ^ "Fairness and Social Justice Advisory Board". Liverpool City Region Combined Authority. Retrieved 2020-08-31.
  29. ^ "The List". Disability News Service. 2014-07-07. Retrieved 2020-08-31.
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