Dr
Armineh
Soorenian
School of Education
Research Associate - iHuman
+44 114 2XX XXXX
Full contact details
School of Education
The Wave
- Profile
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My research is focused on the fields of Critical Disability Studies, Education and, more recently, Critical Dysfluency Studies. I began to explore these areas in my PhD at the University of Leeds’ Centre for Disability Studies, where I investigated the inclusivity of British universities for Disabled international students, as well as the accessibility of the internationalisation of higher education. While working at a Disabled People’s Organisation, my focus turned to examining the effectiveness of accessibility plans in developing inclusive educational settings for Disabled children and young people.
An interest in disability policy emerged when working at the Disability Unit of the Cabinet Office’s Equality Hub, where I commissioned and managed specific policy projects to investigate the lived experiences of Disabled people in the UK in areas such as employment, social care and support, and public perceptions of and attitudes towards Disabled people. Working across departments and arm’s-length bodies within the government, I have been involved in research on Disabled people’s experiences of the cost of living in the UK, gathering qualitative and quantitative data to inform and influence policy.
Other research interests of mine include Disabled academics, Disabled women, intersectionality, disability arts, representation, disability hate crime, and inclusive research methods. I also have an interest in the implementation of United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) within a domestic context.
Since 2024, I have been working as a Research Associate at the University of Sheffield’s School of Education – first on the Wellcome Anti-Ableist Research Culture (WAARC) project, during which I began to discover a research interest in dysfluency and speechism – particularly in the newly-coalescing field of Critical Dysfluency Studies, a sister discipline to Critical Disability Studies. In May 2026, I began working on the Depathologising Research Culture project, funded by the Leverhulme Trust.
- Publications
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Books
- Disabled International Students in British Higher Education. SensePublishers.
Journal articles
- Reporting from the Margins: Disabled Academics Reflections on Higher Education. Scandinavian Journal of Disability Research, 22(1), 265-274.
- Disability disclosure: categorical and cultural difficulties HETL Scotland 2017. Journal of Applied Research in Higher Education, 10(2), 182-193.
- Disabled people’s inclusion in education: a global perspective. Disability & Society, 33(5), 810-814.
- Pedagogy, disability and communication: applying disability studies in the classroom. Disability & Society, 33(3), 497-499.
- Bridging continents, cultures, and crip theories: teaching Comparative and International Disability Studies in education and sociology. Scandinavian Journal of Disability Research, 19(2), 118-128.
- Technological aids: key barriers and experiences of disabled international students. Equality, Diversity and Inclusion: An International Journal, 33(1), 42-53.
- Housing and transport: access issues for disabled international students in British universities. Disability & Society, 28(8), 1118-1131.
- Doctoral Theses. Disability & Society, 27(3), 457-458.
Book chapters
- Desired, Yet Ignored: Disabled International Students and Neoliberal Higher Education In Soorenian A (Ed.), Implementing Transformative Student-Centered Pedagogies in the Neoliberal Academy: Constraints and Opportunities (pp. 57-76). CSMFL Publications
- How Inclusive Is International Education, The Space of Inclusive Education (pp. 96-108). BRILL
- Intersectional issues in research with disabled international students, Research with International Students (pp. 107-115). Routledge
- Excluded from the disability rights debate, The Routledge International Handbook of Disability Human Rights Hierarchies (pp. 437-442). Routledge
- Equal and Inclusive Study Experiences for Disabled International Students, Reimagining Mobility in Higher Education (pp. 115-127). Springer International Publishing
- The Accessibility of Global Mobility for Disabled Students, Rethinking Education Across Borders (pp. 57-69). Springer Singapore
- AT THE MARGINS OF ACADEMIA - ON THE OUTSIDE, LOOKING IN Refusing, challenging and dismantling the material and ideological bases of academia, ROUTLEDGE HANDBOOK OF DISABILITY ACTIVISM (pp. 315-322).
- Disability hate speech "They think they can call me anything", DISABILITY HATE SPEECH: SOCIAL, CULTURAL AND POLITICAL CONTEXTS (pp. 89-101).
- At the Margins of Academia – on the Outside, Looking in, The Routledge Handbook of Disability Activism (pp. 315-322). Routledge
- The Accessibility of Internationalisation, Advances in Educational Marketing, Administration, and Leadership (pp. 157-174). IGI Global
- Media, Disability, and Human Rights, DISABILITY, HUMAN RIGHTS AND THE LIMITS OF HUMANITARIANISM (pp. 45-61).
Digital content
- Imagining the anti-ableist university.
- Disabled International Students in British Higher Education. SensePublishers.
- Further publications
Books
Campbell, T., Fontes, F., Hemingway, L., Soorenian, A. and Till, C. (eds.) (2008) Disability studies: emerging insights and perspectives. Leeds: The Disability Press.
Book chapters
Soorenian, A. (2026) ‘Desired, yet ignored: Disabled international students and neoliberal higher education’, in Fovet, F. (ed.) Implementing transformative student-centered pedagogies in the neoliberal academy: constraints and opportunities. Jagadhri: CSMFL Books.
Soorenian, A. (2015) ‘Disability hate crime: status quo and potential ways forward’, in Beyond 2015: Shaping the Future of Equality, Human Rights and Social Justice. London: Equality and Diversity Forum.
Soorenian, A. (2014) ‘Media, disability and human rights’, in Gill, M. and Schlund-Vials, C.J. (eds.) Disability, human rights and the limits of humanitarianism. London: Routledge.
Soorenian, A. (2008) ‘The significance of studying disabled international students’ experiences in English universities’, in Campbell, T., Fontes, F., Hemingway, L., Soorenian, A. and Till, C. (eds.) Disability studies: emerging insights and perspectives. University of Leeds: Disability Press.
Dissertations
Soorenian, A. (2011) A qualitative study of the experiences of disabled international students in English universities. PhD Thesis. University of Leeds.
Soorenian, A. (2005) An investigation into the impact of disability arts on the disabled community. MA dissertation. University of Leeds.
Interviews
Soorenian, A. and Hayden, N. (2026) ‘Depathologising Research Culture (DRC): Working with colleagues and participants with non-normative speech’, University of Sheffield, 26th October.
incluD-Ed (2014) ‘The Experience of an International Student with disabilities in British Higher Education - Interview with Armineh Soorenian Ph.D.’, incluD-Ed, 3rd November (Part 1, Part 2).
Journal articles
Soorenian, A. (2019) ‘Personal assistant scheme: help or hindrance?’, Journal of Inclusive Practice in Further and Higher Education, 11(1), pp. 14–28.
Soorenian, A. (2017) ‘Inclusive education and disabled students’ genuine right to British higher education’, Malta Review of Educational Research, 11(2), pp. 243–259.
Soorenian, A. (2014) ‘How inclusive are the pedagogical practices in British universities?’, Italian Journal of Disability Studies, 52(2), pp. 13–46.
Soorenian, A. (2012) ‘A qualitative study of the experiences of disabled international students in English universities’, in Doctoral Theses, Disability and Society, 27(3), pp. 457–458.
Soorenian, A. (2008) ‘Barriers encountered in disability-related support services for disabled international students’, The Skill Journal, 88.
Presentations
School of Education Voices
June 2026, University of Sheffield and online
Presentation: ‘Anti-Ableism in the Academy: Emerging Findings from the WAARC Project’ with Prof Dan Goodley, Dr Lauren White, Dr Antonios Ktendis, Dr Nikita Hayden, Elinor Noble, and Liz DewDisability Matters’ Inclusive Research Cultures Knowledge Exchange
April 2026, Disability Matters, online
Presentation: ‘How Does Disability Transform Research Cultures and Workplace Environments?’ (slides)NCRC Conversation Series
April 2026, University of Warwick, online
Presentation: ‘Reimagining Research Culture, Together’ (slides)Leeds Disability Studies Conference 2026
April 2026, University of Leeds
Presentation: ‘National Association of Disabled Staff Networks’ Access to Work Subgroup: Our Current Work and Future Aspirations’
Panel: ‘Working with Disabled People’s Organisations: Key Lessons for University Researchers’ with Dr Hamied Haroon, Prof Dan Goodley, and Dr Melanie Thorley
Presentation: ‘Experimentations in Anti-Ableist Research Culture in the University’ with Prof Dan Goodley, Dr Antonios Ktenidis, Dr Lauren White, Dr Kirsty Liddiard, Prof Rebecca Lawthom, Elinor Noble, Liz Dew, Prof Katherine Runswick-Cole, Dr Élaina Gauthier-Mamaril, Dr Sophie Phillips, and Dr Nikita HaydenDisability Staff Network Committee Meeting
April 2026, University of Sheffield, online
Presentation: ‘Wellcome Anti-Ableist Research Culture (WAARC) Project’Pathfinders Research Advisory Group (PRAG) Meeting
April 2026, Pathfinders Neuromuscular Alliance, online
Presentation: ‘Wellcome Anti-Ableist Research Cultures (WAARC) Project’ (blog post)Introducing Critical Disability Studies: Indian Contexts, Global Perspectives
March 2026, University of Delhi, online
Presentation: ‘Co-Producing an Inclusive Work Culture: Challenges and Opportunities’ESRC Research Project Symposium: Amplifying the Mental Health of Black University Students: A Black, Mad and Disability Studies Intersectional Inquiry
November 2025, University of Nottingham, online
Presentation: ‘Ableism and Disablism in Disabled International Students’ Experiences’Research Culture Community of Practice Event
July 2025, University of Leeds
Keynote: ‘Reimagining Research Culture, Together’7th Annual Philosophy and Theory of Higher Education Society (PaTHES) Conference 2025: 'The Creative University'
June 2025, Trinity College Dublin
Presentation: ‘Reclaiming Disability as a Tool for Creativity in University’Leeds Disability Studies Conference 2024
September 2024, University of Leeds
Group presentation on the WAARC project, with Prof Dan Goodley, Dr Antonios Ktenidis, Dr Lauren White, Dr Kirsty Liddiard, Prof Rebecca Lawthom, Liz Dew, Prof Katherine Runswick-Cole, Dr Élaina Gauthier-Mamaril, Dr Sophie Phillips, and Dr Daniel JonesIntersectional Neurodiversity and Disability Reading Groups: Flipped Webinar: Intersectional Approaches to Disability and Race
July 2021, online
Blog post: ‘The Impact of the COVID-19 Educational Policy Response on Neurodivergent Children’
Live Q&A: ‘The Impact of the COVID-19 Educational Policy Response on Neurodivergent Children’UK Disability History Month
November 2020, online
Presentation: ‘Accessibility Plans as Effective Tools for Inclusion in Schools: Are They Working?’Alliance for Inclusive Education (ALLFIE): DRILL project launch event at ALLFIE’s Day of Action
January 2020, London
Project Presentation: ‘Accessibility Plans as Effective Tools for Inclusion in Schools: Are They Working?’Alliance of Construction Networks: Rethinking Education Design Conference
November 2019, London
Debate Panellist: ‘Designing Inclusive Learning Environments’, as a representative of the Alliance for Inclusive Education (ALLFIE)White Rose Social Sciences DTP – Education, Childhood and Youth (ECY) Pathway Seminar and Workshop: ‘Researching with Disabled Children’
May 2019, Leeds
PanellistCentre for Integrated Living
September 2018, Leeds
Training: ‘Visual Impairment Awareness’The 9th Biennial Lancaster Disability Studies Conference
September 2018, Lancaster University
Presentation: ‘Activism as an Independent Academic Outside of the Violence of Neoliberal Academia’, as a part of the symposium ‘Showcasing: The New Disability Activism’Creating Diverse Coalitions for Equality in Neoliberal Times?: Locating the Emancipatory City – Conference
July 2018, De Montfort University
Presentation: ‘Neoliberal Biases of Academia’Re:Connect – Building a Collective Response to Austerity and Division
October 2017, Oxford Place, Leeds
Opening panel presentation: ‘Disabled Women in Britain Today and Their Human Rights’ (text)Centre for Integrated Living
November 2017, Leeds
Training: ‘Visual Impairment Awareness’British Council Disability Advisory Panel Member Visit
September 2017, Pyunic and The State Pedagogic University
Workshop: ‘Creating an inclusive education for Disabled children/youth’
Workshop: ‘Including Disabled children in the school community’
Interactive research presentation: ‘How Inclusive are the British universities? Lessons to learn’Promoting the Social Rights of Persons with Disabilities by Building the Capacity of Armenian Civil Society Organisations to Engage with the Council of Europe Monitoring Mechanisms
September 2017, Best Western Congress Hotel, Yerevan – Armenia
Café table: ‘Young Persons With Disabilities: The Experiences of Students With Disabilities and Discrimination Towards Young People With Disabilities in Academia’
Panel discussion on National Advocacy Strategies: ‘Disabled Women in Britain Today and Their Human Rights’ (text)International Higher Education Teaching and Learning Conference
June 2017, University of the West of Scotland, Paisley
Presentation: ‘The All-Encompassing Nature of Inclusive Practices’Accredited Diversity Facilitator (ADF) Training
June 2017, British Council, London
Presentation: ‘Access to British Universities and Disabled International Students’ (more info)Educate, Agitate, Organise
April 2017, Leeds Beckett University
Presentation: ‘What is Disability? Body or Society?’Centre for Integrated Living
February 2017, Leeds
Training: ‘Visual Impairment Awareness’Student Health Association Annual Conference
June 2016, Leeds Beckett University
Workshop: ‘Inclusion in Practice’Faculty of Education and Social Studies
February 2015, Lillehammer University College
Presentation: ‘Are We There Yet? A Reflection on Disabled International Student Experience with Regards to Inclusive Education Policy and Practice’International Sociology of Education Conference
November 2014, The Royal Foundation of St. Katharine, London
Presentation: ‘Challenging Current Pedagogical Practices: A Disabled International Student’s Perspective’Lancaster Disability Studies Conference 2014
September 2014, Lancaster University
Presentation: ‘Austerity Measures and Disability Hate Crime in Disabled Women’s Lives’Tackling Violence Against Disabled Women Seminar
July 2014, Centre for Disability Studies, University of Leeds
Presentation: ‘Media, Disability Hate Crime and Disabled Women’s Human Rights’Equality and Diversity Committee
March 2014, University of Hull
Interactive research presentation: ‘Disabled International Students’ Experiences in British Higher Education: Experiences and Expectations’‘The Hardest Hit’: Disability Research and Welfare Reform – An Early Career/Postgraduate Policy Symposium
September 2012, University of Leeds
Presentation: ‘Economic Austerity and Disabled Women’UK Council for International Student Affairs (UKCISA) Annual Conference
July 2012, University of Warwick
Presentation: ‘Disabled international students’National Association of Disability Practitioners’ Annual Conference: ‘Embedding Disability Equality Throughout Student Services from Pre-Entry to Post-Exit’
June 2012, Barcelo Oxford Hotel, Oxford
Workshop/interactive presentation about the experiences and expectations of Disabled international studentsDegrees of Independence: Providing Inclusive Learning in Higher Education
April 2009, University of Huddersfield
Presentation: ‘Disabled International Students in UK Universities’SKILL Annual Conference 2008: ‘Mission Possible: Improving Disabled Student Retention in Higher Education’
December 2008, Nottingham Belfry Hotel
Workshop/interactive presentation: ‘Barriers to Disabled International Students’ University Experience’Equality Challenge Unit Conference: ‘Evidence for Equality’
November 2008, Midland Hotel, Manchester
Presentation: ‘Extreme Isolation: experiences of disabled international students in UK universities’ (excerpt later published in Evidence for Equality: The future of equality in higher education)Fourth International Disability Studies Conference
September 2008, Lancaster University
Presentation: ‘Barriers in Education for Disabled International Students’National Postgraduate Committee Annual Conference 2008: ‘Postgraduate Welfare?’
August 2008, The Open University, Milton Keynes
Workshop/interactive presentation about Disabled postgraduates’ experiencesAnnual Postgraduate Conference
April 2008, University of Leeds
Presentation: ‘The Significance of Studying Disabled International Students’ Experiences in English Universities’58th Political Studies Association Annual Conference: 'Democracy, Governance and Conflict: Dilemmas of Theory and Practice'
April 2008, Swansea University
Presentation: ‘Disabled International Students’ Experiences in UK Higher Education’Leeds Social Sciences Institute (LSSI) Seminars
November 2007, University of Leeds
Student seminar on Disabled international students’ experiences in UK universitiesNational Postgraduate Committee Annual Conference 2007: 'Participation'
August 2007, Keele University
Workshop/interactive presentation about issues affecting Disabled postgraduate students (blog)National Postgraduate Committee Ordinary General Meeting
June 2007, University of Birmingham Guild of Students
Workshop about Disabled international students’ experiences in UK universities
Report in OGM PapersCentre for Disability Studies (CDS) Annual Postgraduate Conference
May 2007, CDS, University of Leeds
As a member of the organisational Committee, and a Panel Chair
Presentation: ‘Disabled International Students’ Experiences in UK Higher Education’ (later incorporated into Disability Studies; emerging insights and perspectives)3rd Disability Studies Conference: ‘Putting Theory into Practice’
September 2006, Lancaster University
Presentation: ‘An Investigation Into International Disabled Students’ Experiences in UK Higher Education’Reports
Soorenian, A. and Olsen, J. (2021) The lived experience of disabled people during the COVID-19 pandemic. London: Cabinet Office.
Soorenian, A. and Olsen, J. (2021) Exploring the everyday lives of disabled people. London: Cabinet Office
Soorenian, A. (2019) Accessibility plans as effective tools for inclusion in schools: are they working?: A project report for ‘disability research on independent living and learning (DRILL)’ – September 2019. The Alliance for Inclusive Education (ALLFIE).
Soorenian, A. and Lisney, E. (2016) Submission on the rights of persons with disabilities for the CESCR Committee’s review of the United Kingdom. Report for Sisters of Frida.
Soorenian, A. (2012) Economic austerity or justification for denying disabled women’s independence?. Report for Sisters of Frida.
Soorenian, A. (2007) Contributor to ‘Étude genre et handicap – Handicap International: analyse transversal de la correlation entre le handicap dans les secteurs d’intervention d’Handicap International’, Humanity & Inclusion (formerly Handicap International), internal report, March.
Reviews
Soorenian, A. (2018) ‘Pedagogy, disability and communication: applying disability studies in the classroom’, Disability & Society, 33(3), pp. 497–499.
Other publications
Soorenian, A. and Breese, J. (2026) ‘Our experiences of the participatory research network (PRN) mentoring scheme’, iHuman, University of Sheffield, 10th March.
Soorenian, A. and Dew, L. (2026) ‘Interdependency in fieldwork’, iHuman, University of Sheffield, 21st January.
Soorenian, A. (2025) ‘Access as solidarity’, iHuman, University of Sheffield, 28th July.
Dew, L., Evans, H., Gauthier-Marmaril, E., Jones, D. P., Kill, C., Lee, C., Mishra, A., Phillips, S., Soorenian, A. and White, L. (2025) Imagining the anti-ableist university. GEOZONe.
Ennis, E., Soorenian, A. and Dew, L. (2025) ‘Building anti-ableist research cultures (disability history month 2025)’, Research Culture at Leeds, 10th December.
Phillips, S. and Soorenian, A. (2025) ‘Cripping the researcher concordat: reflections by Dr Sophie Phillips and Dr Armineh Soorenian’, Cripping the Concordat Event reflections, iHuman, University of Sheffield, October.
Phillips, S. and Soorenian, A. (2025) ‘To wear or not to wear: face masks in disability focused events’, The Polyphony: Conversations Across the Medical Humanities, 8th April.
Soorenian, A. (2016) ‘Why inclusive education?’, Disability Today, 23rd February.
Soorenian, A. (2014) ‘Ideas for an inclusive PA service’, unread conference paper for II Congreso Internacional Universidad y Discapacidad [International Congress of University and Disability], pp. 177–185.
Soorenian, A. (2014) ‘Gaps in support’, Times Higher Education, 13th March.
Soorenian, A., Lisney, E. and Firmin, E. (2014) Submission to ‘Women’s equality in the UK – a health check’ on behalf of Sisters of Frida, UK CEDAW Working Group and Women’s Resource Centre.
Soorenian, A. (2012) ‘Disabling university environments’, Enabling Education Review, 6th February.
Soorenian, A. (2012) ‘Doubly disadvantaged in Cameron’s Britain’, Disability Now.
Soorenian, A. (2009) ‘‘Extreme isolation’: experiences of disabled international students in UK universities’, in Equality Challenge Unit (ed.) Evidence for equality: the future of equality in higher education.
Soorenian, A. (2008) ‘A brief look at disabled international students’ concerns’, pn: the newsletter of the National Postgraduate Committee, 6(3).
Soorenian, A. (2007) ‘International students with disabilities: what’s “hard” times “hard” equal to?’, pn: the newsletter of the National Postgraduate Committee, 6(2), p. 3.
Soorenian, A. (2007) ‘Armineh Soorenian on her research into disability and international students’ experiences’, pn: the newsletter of the National Postgraduate Committee,