Examining the implications of HE responses to Covid-19 (and other health risks) for people with a heightened risk of negative outcomes from infection.

Disabled and chronically ill people in the UK experience health inequalities, social stigma and marginalisation (Boardman, 2020; EHRC, 2018), with poorer rates of representation and attainment in Higher Education (Hubble and Bolton, 2021). These inequalities have been exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic. This research seeks to explore the impact of HE responses to Covid-19 (and other health risks) for people at heightened risk of negative outcomes from infection, particularly with the removal of mitigating safety measures in the current 'living with Covid' context. The proposal seeks to undertake approximately thirty semi-structured, qualitative interviews with clinically vulnerable students, staff, and carers of vulnerable people, across three to four - geographically and institutionally diverse - HE institutions in the UK. Participants will also be invited to collaborate in the making of an online multimedia zine. The proposal's analytical methods dovetail theoretical concepts in medical sociology and disability studies to centre the lived experiences of chronically ill people while recognising the role of social structures, power, and knowledge. In doing so, the proposal will contribute to ongoing debates regarding the overlaps and differences between chronic illness and disability, as well as build bridges across the two sub-disciplines.