Leading the conversation: pioneering disability studies academic tackles assisted dying
Dr Miro Griffiths, Lecturer in Social Policy and Disability Studies in the School of Sociology and Social Policy, is at the forefront of the ongoing discussion around assisted dying.
“The Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill 2024-25”
A bill to legalise assisted dying in the UK has been brought forward in Parliament, introduced by Labour MP Kim Leadbeater. If passed, the bill would mean that individuals with six months to live could receive support to end their life. A second reading of the bill will take place on 29 November, following which the bill will be put to parliament as a ‘free vote’, meaning MPs will be free to choose how they vote. It is a contentious issue amongst MPs. While news reports suggest the Prime Minister is in favour of the bill, the Health and Justice Secretaries have announced they will vote against it.
Dr Miro Griffiths raises concerns
Dr Miro Griffiths, co-Director of the Centre for Disability Studies and a leading disability studies scholar prominent within social policy analysis, has consistently voiced concerns about the proposed legalisation of assisted dying.
In an October 2024 article for Scottish paper The Herald, Dr Griffiths writes:
“Whilst I understand the arguments for ‘assisted dying’, and recognise the laudable intentions of proponents, researching this topic for years has convinced me the practice is inherently unsafe. A law change is just too dangerous, especially in a context of overburdened public services, and deeply embedded social inequalities.”
Channel 4 News, Good Morning Britain and ITV News have all interviewed Dr Griffiths as part of their coverage of the bill, and viewing figures suggest the public is highly engaged in this issue. Dr Griffiths’ 3 October appearance on ITV News had an approximate viewership of just over 1.8 million. Similarly, his appearances on Good Morning Britain on 16 October and ITV’s Late Debate the following day received between 750k-900k viewers each.
Dr Griffiths told Channel 4 News, in an interview which aired on 16 October (2:15 - 3:32):
“You introduce this mechanism then it becomes an option that's discussed or an option that is suggested in [certain] circumstances. This creates, I think, a really dangerous culture."
On ITV’s Good Morning Britain (excerpt at 6:32 - 6:54), Dr Griffiths explained his position further:
"Essentially what we will be creating with this proposal is a twin-track approach, where for certain communities, the suicide prevention scheme will kick in and you'll do all you can to stop somebody from taking [their] life, but for certain people with certain characteristics or certain backgrounds or certain health experiences, the question will be, 'We'll do all we can to support you to end your life'."
Earlier this year, the BBC aired a documentary, Better Off Dead?, which explores arguments for and against the distinct but related topic of assisted suicide. Dr Griffiths worked as the academic consultant to the production team on the documentary, and it was produced and presented by actor Liz Carr, who is a University of Leeds alumna. Carr was part of the first cohort to graduate from the Disability Studies programme in 1994.
Disability studies and research at Leeds
The masters programme, which celebrates its 30th anniversary this year, was awarded the Association for Learning Technology (ALT) Award for Case Studies in Ethical Edtech for its programme design and development approach. Having long been home to leading expertise in the field of Disability Studies, the University this year hosted the biennial Disability Studies Conference, at which Dr Griffiths delivered a keynote speech.
Dr Griffiths’ research is primarily associated with understanding disabled people’s experiences of resistance, activism, social movement participation, and advocacy, and his contributions have progressed ideas and theories about power, resistance practices and disabled people’s pursuit for liberation.
His most recent research project, ‘Disability Activism in Europe: Young Disabled Activist’s Views and Experiences’ was co-funded by the Leverhulme Trust and concluded earlier this year. The project led to the production of a one-issue zine, in which the activists imagine what an accessible and inclusive society would look like, and make clear their demands for creating change.
Further information
For readers wanting to learn more, the Disability Activism in Europe website provides links to a range of public coverage of Dr Griffiths commenting on disability related topics, including on proposals for assisted dying and assisted suicide legislation.
For prospective students interested in disability studies, the Centre for Disability Studies website is a great place to learn about the range of disability studies undergraduate, masters and doctoral level opportunities that include teaching and/or supervision by disability studies scholars at Leeds.
