Negotiating Bodies is a research collective exploring how bodies interact across intersecting identities, with a particular focus on disability.
The company’s activities will provide benefit to community members who are disabled and/or have chronic illnesses/conditions and/or have mental illnesses. Negotiating Bodies CIC aims to research how different bodies negotiate with one another across various intersectionalities, primarily from a disability perspective.
Our work is grounded in the understanding that bodies are shaped by social, cultural, political, and institutional contexts. Using collaborative and participatory methods, we centre lived experiences. We work alongside disabled people and other marginalised communities to create inclusive spaces for reflection, dialogue, and co-production.
This research is conducted through collaborative, participatory methodologies, aiming to deepen understanding by creating space to explore the lived experiences of intersectional disability. We present our research in podcast and other written formats.
With this current research that prioritises lived experience, we want to develop ‘Continuing Professional Development’ Workshops, disability awareness and sensitivity training workshops, and make comprehensive disability related learning material widely available.
We understand that disability formation is context-specific (specific to each location), which is why we are keen to explore intersectional disability in an international context.
Through research, workshops, events, and partnerships, we aim to challenge dominant narratives, contribute to accessible and ethical research practices, and support more equitable approaches within education, culture, and the wider public sphere.
Our CIC’s Activities: Research
Negotiating Bodies aims to investigate how different bodies negotiate with each other within various intersectionalities, primarily through the perspective of disabilities. This research is conducted through collaborative, participatory research methodologies, aiming to form deeper understandings by creating space to explore the lived experience of intersectional disability. We present our research in the format of a podcast or other written media.
This research directly informs our other activities, such as CPD workshops and disability awareness and sensitivity training.
Based on our research findings, we would like to develop context-specific CPD and intersectional disability awareness and training sessions for people from different professional groups. This would allow people to have a more nuanced understanding of the socio-cultural effects of disability and/or chronic illnesses/conditions and/or mental illness, which would facilitate the better treatment of people with any and/ or all of those mentioned above.
Negotiating Bodies will continue to collaborate with community groups. These collaborative activities can take the form of joint workshops, podcasts, informational booklets, artworks, posters, and other materials. Negotiating Bodies provides its services through nuancing understandings of disability, and the community groups we work with make this knowledge context-specific.
Prior to this, we have collaborated with Thomas Tallis School students, South London Gallery’s Young People Programme ‘Art Assassins,’ Deptford People’s Heritage Museum, Red Ribbon Living Well Charity, and A Particular Reality. We would build on this work that aims to be mutually beneficial.
