Dr Ieva Eskyte

Profile

My initial academic training was in Social Work (BA and MA at Vytautas Magnus University, Lithuania), followed by a Marie Curie fellowship to undertake a PhD in Sociology and Social Policy (University of Leeds, UK). My doctoral thesis explored inequality and exclusion of disabled people as consumers in the European single market, identifying potential causes of market inaccessibility and opportunities for creating more effective consumer policies. After completing the PhD, I worked in various research roles at the Faculty of Social Sciences and Faculty of Medicine and Health.

My primary academic interest lies within the fields of disability studies and social policy. From 2008-2011, I worked as a policy analyst at the Academic Network for the European Disability Experts (ANED), where I was a member of the Lithuanian team. My research focuses on disability policy and politics, particularly in relation to accessibility, retail markets, consumer participation, and built environment. Another strand of my academic interest is social research methods. Throughout my academic career, I have extensively utilized methods such as interviews, including walking interviews and elite interviews, focus groups, delphi groups, critical systematic reviews, VR, observations, and others. I am experienced in making participation in social research accessible for people with different impairments and life circumstances, and I regularly provide training and advice on the subject.

Research interests

My research interests include social policy and disability studies, particularly policy formulation and implementation processes, as well as policy reception and translation. I am particularly interested in research that brings various stakeholders "to the same table" in relation to social and economic inequality, greater participation, and human rights.
From 2019-2023, I was a member of the transdisciplinary research team at the Inclusive Public Space project. Currently, I lead the Accessible Social Research project that focuses on inclusive research and the ways Higher Education Institutions can support their staff in shifting away from ableist practices towards more inclusive research practices.

Qualifications

• PhD Sociology and Social Policy
• MA Social Work
• BSc Social Work

Professional memberships

• Centre for Disability Studies
• Centre for Law and Social Justice
• Social Research Methods Centre