Today's the day: I finally got to wear the floppy hat! It feels like ages since I passed my viva 6 months ago, but it was a great (if very hot) day to celebrate the completion of my PhD. I look very smug in the first photo because I am!
Dr Vera Kubenz she/they
@verakub.bsky.social
Researcher - Encounters with strangers in accessible parking spaces. Disability / queer / media studies. Views own. #BWithTheT
This all looks strangely familiar. Great to see some coverage of the reality of what it's like to use a Blue Badge on a daily basis. Matches my findings as part of www.politicsofparking.com
Frances Ryan@francesryan.bsky.social · 4mo agoDisabled people in the U.K. report rising abuse from the public over Blue Badges as anti-benefit rhetoric grows. Many told The Guardian they have been verbally harassed, with some even physically assaulted. My story in today’s paper: www.theguardian.com/world/2026/a... 1/5
My friends created this little collection of poetry written by students in Gaza under unimaginable conditions. If anyone wanted to give it a boost they would be most grateful.
Let’s Throw Away War (PDF download)
Experience a powerful collection of Gaza poems that resonate with loss, hope and memory. Download now to explore voices that refuse to disappear.
ionabooks.com
Have you ever considered how social researchers may contribute (knowingly, intentionally or otherwise!) to epistemic injustice and oppression through research practices? Dr Zara Bain has, and will be hosting a free webinar to bring this discussion to life. Join us on Tues 24 Feb @ 7pm GMT.
WEBINAR: Epistemic Injustice, Oppression & Ignorance: An Introduction for Social Researchers - Sign-up Page
Expand your conceptual toolkit with our accessible introduction to the concepts every social researcher should know.
funnels.academicaudiotranscription.com
My full PhD thesis on disabled people's encounters with strangers in accessible #BlueBadge parking spaces is now publicly available: etheses.bham.ac.uk/id/eprint/17... TLDR? Here's the summary report instead: drive.google.com/file/d/1wmfK... #DisabilitySky #DisabilityStudies
US post about considering trans people as disabled for legal purposes 19thnews.org/2026/01/disa... and how the current US fascist administration is trying to reverse that and how it's not the end of the fight. Often what trans people need is flexibility and 'reasonable accommodations'.
Disability groups are standing united for trans rights. That hasn't always been the case.
Forty years ago, disability advocates abandoned the LGBTQ+ community in exchange for legal protections. Decades later, they are fighting a Trump administration rule to roll-back more safeguards for tr...
19thnews.org
My full PhD thesis on disabled people's encounters with strangers in accessible #BlueBadge parking spaces is now publicly available: etheses.bham.ac.uk/id/eprint/17... TLDR? Here's the summary report instead: drive.google.com/file/d/1wmfK... #DisabilitySky #DisabilityStudies
Lot of people (men) waste their time and mine telling me the government and media haven't deliberately turned the public against disabled people. Lemme save you the trouble lads, I literally wrote the book on it. And I report on it nearly every day.
Abudagga said: “When I read that they link bringing my family to the UK with UK security, and suggest the children are better off in Gaza, I simply could not believe in British values and norms any more. I expected the British government cared about family life, about human rights.” I am ashamed.
Alison Phipps አሊሰን@alisonphipps.bsky.social · 8mo ago
It was a pleasure to read your thesis and be your examiner. It was such a well written thesis and brilliantly defended during the viva. Huge well done! This is such an important piece of research, can’t wait to read more of your work!
Dr Vera Kubenz she/they@verakub.bsky.social · 8mo agoI'm excited to announce I have just passed my PhD viva with no corrections! So pleased that 4 1/2 years' work has paid off and thank you to my lovely examiners @kirstyliddiard1.bsky.social and @leahfburch.bsky.social and Chair Jennifer Allsop for a great discussion.
I'm excited to announce I have just passed my PhD viva with no corrections! So pleased that 4 1/2 years' work has paid off and thank you to my lovely examiners @kirstyliddiard1.bsky.social and @leahfburch.bsky.social and Chair Jennifer Allsop for a great discussion.
How the banning of 37 international aid organizations in Gaza is being felt by Palestinians mondoweiss.net/2026/01/how-...
How the banning of 37 international aid organizations in Gaza is being felt by Palestinians
The majority of Gaza’s population now relies on foreign aid to secure food, water, and every other basic necessity. The Israeli government’s banning of 37 organizations that provide this vital aid wil...
mondoweiss.net
The findings of my PhD my research are covered in @theipaper.com today, highlighting the level of hostility faced by #BlueBadge holders and how this may get worse due to the rhetoric around the Motability cuts ⤵️ inews.co.uk/news/motabil...
‘You’re a scrounger’: Motability backlash sparks abuse of blue badge holders
Shocking scale of hostility faced by disabled drivers in public car parks revealed
inews.co.uk
Disabled drivers who use blue badges are facing “terrifying” levels of threats, verbal abuse and violent attacks trib.al/7aT9pLO
The findings of my PhD my research are covered in @theipaper.com today, highlighting the level of hostility faced by #BlueBadge holders and how this may get worse due to the rhetoric around the Motability cuts ⤵️ inews.co.uk/news/motabil...
‘You’re a scrounger’: Motability backlash sparks abuse of blue badge holders
Shocking scale of hostility faced by disabled drivers in public car parks revealed
inews.co.uk
Delighted that I’m going to be doing a guest lecture at a U.K. philosophy department in the spring about being a philosopher specialising in social justice who also runs a social enterprise If you or your department would also be interested in having me along to talk to your students, let’s chat
The recording of my dissemination event from my research on disabled people's encounters with strangers in Blue Badge bays is nowavailable on politicsofparking.com, alongside a summary report of the research findings #DisabilityStudies #BlueBadge #DisabilitySky
The Politics of Parking
Final summary repot: Read the summary report
politicsofparking.com
Dr Vera Kubenz she/they@verakub.bsky.social · 9mo agoI'll be holding an online workshop on findings from my research into disabled people's encounters in #BlueBadge parking spaces & how encounters can actively exclude people Fri 12th Dec 12-1pm on Teams with captions, register here: events.teams.microsoft.com/event/20a4a6... #DisabilitySky
The recording of my dissemination event from my research on disabled people's encounters with strangers in Blue Badge bays is nowavailable on politicsofparking.com, alongside a summary report of the research findings #DisabilityStudies #BlueBadge #DisabilitySky
The Politics of Parking
Final summary repot: Read the summary report
politicsofparking.com
Dr Vera Kubenz she/they@verakub.bsky.social · 9mo agoI'll be holding an online workshop on findings from my research into disabled people's encounters in #BlueBadge parking spaces & how encounters can actively exclude people Fri 12th Dec 12-1pm on Teams with captions, register here: events.teams.microsoft.com/event/20a4a6... #DisabilitySky
I'll be holding an online workshop on findings from my research into disabled people's encounters in #BlueBadge parking spaces & how encounters can actively exclude people Fri 12th Dec 12-1pm on Teams with captions, register here: events.teams.microsoft.com/event/20a4a6... #DisabilitySky
Microsoft Virtual Events Powered by Teams
Microsoft Virtual Events Powered by Teams
events.teams.microsoft.com
Great to see my research coveree by @johnpring.bsky.social! For anyone interested in finding out more, I'll be talking about my research at an online event on 12 Dec, 12-1pm, alongside guests @christiane.link and Anjna Patel MBE from Disabled Motoring UK: events.teams.microsoft.com/event/20a4a6...
Microsoft Virtual Events Powered by Teams
Microsoft Virtual Events Powered by Teams
events.teams.microsoft.com
Disability News Service@johnpring.bsky.social · 9mo agoYears of scapegoating rhetoric has led to ‘envy and resentment’ of those with blue badges, research finds #BlueBadge #Motability #DisabilityHateCrime www.disabilitynewsservice.com/years-of-sca...
Years of scapegoating rhetoric has led to ‘envy and resentment’ of those with blue badges, research finds #BlueBadge #Motability #DisabilityHateCrime www.disabilitynewsservice.com/years-of-sca...
Years of scapegoating rhetoric has led to ‘envy and resentment’ of those with blue badges, research finds
Years of scapegoating rhetoric and politicians casting disabled people as “scroungers” have reinforced prejudices about the blue badge parking scheme and led to “envy and resentment” instead of equ…
disabilitynewsservice.com
Great to see my research coveree by @johnpring.bsky.social! For anyone interested in finding out more, I'll be talking about my research at an online event on 12 Dec, 12-1pm, alongside guests @christiane.link and Anjna Patel MBE from Disabled Motoring UK: events.teams.microsoft.com/event/20a4a6...
Microsoft Virtual Events Powered by Teams
Microsoft Virtual Events Powered by Teams
events.teams.microsoft.com
Disability News Service@johnpring.bsky.social · 9mo agoYears of scapegoating rhetoric has led to ‘envy and resentment’ of those with blue badges, research finds #BlueBadge #Motability #DisabilityHateCrime www.disabilitynewsservice.com/years-of-sca...
Reminder: I will launch the results from my research into disabled people's encounters in #BlueBadge parking spaces in an online workshop on Fri 12 Dec, 12-1pm, on Teams with captions Register here: events.teams.microsoft.com/event/20a4a6... #DisabilitySky #DisabilityStudies
Reminder: I will launch the results from my research into disabled people's encounters in #BlueBadge parking spaces in an online workshop on Fri 12 Dec, 12-1pm, on Teams with captions Register here: events.teams.microsoft.com/event/20a4a6... #DisabilitySky #DisabilityStudies
I'll be holding an online workshop on findings from my research into disabled people's encounters in #BlueBadge parking spaces & how encounters can actively exclude people Fri 12th Dec 12-1pm on Teams with captions, register here: events.teams.microsoft.com/event/20a4a6... #DisabilitySky
Microsoft Virtual Events Powered by Teams
Microsoft Virtual Events Powered by Teams
events.teams.microsoft.com
Incredibly sad to hear of the death of @sfdirewolf.bsky.social. I was always amazed by her generosity in our (small) interactions, and I've got a lot from her writing. Rest in power, what a force.
The philosopher D. R. Parton said: Tumble out of bed and I stumble to the kitchen Pour myself a cup of ambition And yawn and stretch and try to come to life Jump in the shower and the blood starts pumpin' Out on the street, the traffic starts jumpin' With folks like me on the job from 9 to 5. 1/2
It's done! After four years (end of my minimum period), I have just submitted my PhD thesis on disabled people's encounters in accessible parking spaces 🥳♿🅿️ #DisabilitySky #DisabilityStudies #BlueBadge #PhD #PhDlife
Speaking from Gaza, Manar Al Houbi told the BBC's Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg show she was informed just days before her evacuation from Gaza that her family would not be allowed to come with her – despite the Labour Government allowing other students' families to enter the UK.
Gaza student hoping for Glasgow PhD in urgent plea as family blocked from entering UK
A student from Gaza hoping to study in Scotland has issued a plea to the UK Government urging them not to "make her choose" between her…
thenational.scot
With another 9 @ucu.org.uk branches now calling on UCU to do the right thing we wonder if @drjogrady.bsky.social is listening to her members.
