“Norm criticism is a useful tool for challenging our unconscious bias, making us curious about each other's possibilities and limitations in life, and the unequal distribution of power and privilege. “
Professional background
Emil Falster holds an MSc in Scient.Adm. and PhD in Social Sciences from Roskilde University, where he specializes in Disability Studies and Childhood Studies as well as theories of power, recognition and criticism. His field of research spans large parts of the disability field and includes, among other things, studies of disability policy, inequality, ableism, human vision in the welfare society and everyday life with disabilities from the perspective of children and young people. He works methodologically broadly with different methodological approaches, but particularly qualitative methods such as interview, participant observation, power and discourse analysis, and critical policy analysis.
Experience and practice
Emil Falster has previously worked in the Ministry of Social Affairs in the field of disability, but has otherwise mainly dealt extensively with disability research — both qualitatively and quantitatively. For example, he has developed and carried out research projects on children and young people with disabilities and how different understandings of disability promote or inhibit people's participation opportunities, respectively. He has entered into collaborations with various researchers from several research and educational institutions on scientific publications, and has widely shared his knowledge of the disability field with various public authorities, civil society organizations, trade unions and interest organizations. In addition, he is a board member of the Danish branch of the Nordic Network of Disability Research and the organization For Equal Terms.
Knowledge in practice
The two largest research projects in which Emil Falster has been involved have both been reported, in a paraphrased format, in the two practice-oriented books; “Life with movement disabilities — Perspectives of children and young people” (together with Isabella Vagtholm and Hanne Warming) from Akademik Forlag and “Ableisme — Power, human vision and the myth of the normal body” from Samfundlitteratur. In addition, he has taught and delivered presentations at various authorities, civil society organizations, interest organizations and at research and educational institutions.
Contact Emil about
• Broad on Disability Studies and disability research, e.g. disability understandings and theoretical models.
• Living conditions and participation opportunities for people with disabilities
• Children and young people with disabilities
• Ableism Studies
• Power and norm criticism, e.g. Critical Disability Studies and Crip Theory.
Universal Design — Perspective and Contribution
Emil Falster, through several scientific publications, has worked actively to justify universal design normatively, e.g. by integrating it with recognition theory and a norm-critical approach. Falster views universal design not only as a means, but as a norm-critical lens and ethical obligation.
Role in Bevica Foundation's Universal Design Hub
Emil Falster's professionalism plays into the work of the Bevica Foundation's HUB by bringing a sociological foundation as well as a power and norm-critical perspective to the work on universal design. Drawing on his extensive research experience in disability studies, living conditions, participation opportunities and human vision in the welfare society, he contributes to qualifying the work of the Hub both on a knowledge and methodological level. In particular, his contributions support the HUB's goal of promoting more inclusive societal development by: • Insisting on the importance of a contextual and relational human view as a normative foundation for universal design.
• To promote power and norm-critical thinking so that the work of universal design not only targets material and physical conditions, but also the social and cultural norms that create and reproduce barriers and exclusion.
• To translate research-based knowledge into practice and the public so that it can be used by authorities, organizations, foundations and decision-makers.
• To strengthen cooperation between research, practice and policy in the field of disability, so that the initiatives of the Hub are based on a solid knowledge base and have societal relevance.
Responsibilities in the Hub
Emil Falster's responsibilities in the Bevica Foundation are primarily focused on social science and sociological research. He is responsible for developing and implementing research projects that contribute directly to the Foundation's strategy. This involves: • Developing research designs and projects that address key societal challenges related to universal design and participation opportunities.
• Conducting research focusing on social dynamics, power relations, human views and norm criticism.
• Contribute to the Foundation's strategic knowledge production by ensuring that the research-based insights qualify and strengthen the Foundation's development and change work.
• Developing new knowledge tracks that link universal design with larger societal agendas such as sustainability, equality and children's rights.