Dr Ieva Eskyte

Profile

With a strong academic foundation and professional practice in Social Work (BA and MA from Vytautas Magnus University, Lithuania), I furthered my academic journey through a Marie Curie Fellowship to complete a PhD in Social Policy at the University of Leeds, UK. My doctoral research focused on the exclusion and inequality faced by disabled individuals as consumers within the European single market, highlighting the systemic barriers to market accessibility and proposing solutions for more inclusive consumer policies.
From 2008 to 2011, I served as a policy analyst for the Academic Network of European Disability Experts (ANED), representing the Lithuanian team. This experience enriched my understanding of disability policy and politics, further informing my current research.
My academic focus centers on disability studies and social policy, particularly at the intersections of accessibility, consumer participation, and the built environment. I am particularly interested in developing social policies that facilitate greater participation and equality, with a commitment to bringing diverse stakeholders together to address issues of social and economic inequality, human rights, and inclusion.

Research interests

My research spans disability studies and social policy, with a focus on policy development, implementation, and reception. I explore how policies translate into practice, especially in contexts of inequality and exclusion. My work frequently examines accessibility in consumer markets and the built environment, driven by a passion for ensuring that research and policy are inclusive and accessible to all, regardless of impairments or circumstances.

Methodological Expertise
I have extensive expertise in a range of social research methods, including interviews (such as walking and elite interviews), focus groups, Delphi groups, critical systematic reviews, virtual reality (VR), and more. My experience in adapting these methodologies to be inclusive and accessible is a cornerstone of my work, and I regularly offer training and consultation on making research participation accessible to people with diverse impairments and life circumstances.
 

Qualifications

• PhD Social Policy
• MA Social Work
• BSc Social Work

Professional memberships

• Centre for Disability Studies
• Social Research Methods Centre

Student education

I teach on several modules across the School at undergraduate and postgraduate levels including:

Social Policy Analysis (MA)

Inequalitieas: Exploring Causes, Consequences and Interventions (MA)

Key Debates in Social Policy (BA)

Disability Studies: An Introduction (BA)