Implications of inclusion and exclusion for the social pedagogical practice within the field of disabilities

Inclusion has been a dominant theme for more than twenty years in the political and educational field. Inclusion can be seen in many different levels and in many different areas and has become a political and educational buzzword. On an ideological political level, ratifying the Salamaca Declaration in 1994 had a huge impact on the worldwide focus on inclusion, especially in the school / day-care system. Also within the field of disability, ratifying the United Nations Disability Convention in 2006, equal rights and inclusion for people with disabilities became a focal point
A report from The Danish National Centre for Social Research (SFI) from 2011 indicates that there is a general lack of research on disability in Denmark. Specifically, there is a lack of research on the possibility for disabled people to participate in society and the risk of being exclude. In addition, a Danish review study concludes that adults with intellectual disabilities often are excluded or at risk of being excluded from social life.

The aim of this current Ph.D. project (2015- 2019) is to create knowledge about adults with intellectual disabilities and social pedagogue’s, experiences and understanding related to inclusion and exclusion processes. What consequences emerge from these experiences and understanding within the field of social work?

The project will study:
- Through narrative interviews, how adults with intellectual disabilities experience themselves included or excluded.
- Through narrative interviews, how social pedagogues understand inclusion and exclusion processes within social work.
- Through document analysis, how political and administrative documents describe the inclusion efforts in the field of adults with disabilities.