Prioritizing Crip Futures: Applying Crip Theory to Create Accessible Academic Experiences in Higher Education

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to explore how crip theory can be applied in higher education to resist ableism and create accessible academic experiences for disabled college students. Using personal narratives about psychological and learning disabilities as our anchors, we describe how ableism shapes college students' academic experiences, such as the fast pace of academic rigor and faculty perceptions of accommodations providing an unfair advantage for disabled students. We then review crip theory tenets, including fluidity, interdependence, and crip time, and offer possibilities for applying those tenets in practice. Some of these possibilities include collaborative conversations between students and disability services providers, embracing imperfection, co-constructing course access options, and de-stigmatizing non-normative academic timelines. We frame our thoughts about practice through the notion of crip manifestos (Kafer, 2017), which suggest both practical considerations grounded in current ableist realities and radical practices that envision crip futures.