PI: Elena Ghiggino
Supervisors: Professor James Renton and Professor Alyson Brown
Elena Ghiggino’s doctoral research focuses on the lived experiences of Black disabled Britons in the late Georgian period from the years, 1750 to 1830.
This research project examines the experiences of Black (those of African descent) British disabled individuals who lived during the mid-eighteenth to early nineteenth centuries, and the agency that these past persons exhibited in their lifetimes. It focuses on marginalised or ethnic minority groups to contribute to the fields of ‘race’ and ‘ethnicity’ history, as well as histories of ‘disability’.
In terms of geographical scope, the project examines primary source material originating in the cities of London and Liverpool, adopting a microhistory approach by examining sources that have traditionally been regarded as only giving a small glimpse into the past. The research topic is significant as historical research concerning disability has rarely focused exclusively on ‘marginalised’ or ethnic minority groups.