Dr Ruth Butler

Dr Ruth Butler

Senior Lecturer in Applied Social Research

Faculty and Department

  • Faculty of Arts Cultures and Education
  • School of Criminology, Sociology and Policing

Qualifications

  • BSc (Lancaster University)
  • PhD / DPhil (University of Reading)

Summary

Dr Ruth Butler is a geographer who moved into Criminology and Sociology through work with the Students Union at the University of Lancaster on Disability Students’ Rights, and a PhD exploring the controls on visually impaired people’s access to public space.

Her research interests continue to reflect her background and include the public images of disabled people, the nature of inclusivity and accessibility, and hate crime. She is also a member of various working groups in the University committed to ensuring the inclusivity of the University of Hull for all students, staff and visitors. She is also a public speaker for Guide Dogs UK.

She joined the University of Hull in 1997 and has held many administrative roles including Head of Department. She has taught widely at the undergraduate and postgraduate level on topics including disability, equality and diversity, research methods, and social theory.

Dr Butler is a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy and has taught extensively at the Undergraduate and Postgraduate levels.

She has taught modules on various aspects of research methods and social theory, as well as substantive modules on Disability and Society and Equality and Diversity in Practice, among other topics.

She has led on several programme reviews and validations.

Recent outputs

View more outputs

Journal Article

Healthcare IT project failure: A systems perspective

Chowdhury, R., Butler, R. E., & Clarke, S. (2007). Healthcare IT project failure: A systems perspective. Journal of cases on information technology, 9(4), 1-15. https://doi.org/10.4018/jcit.2007100101

Disability and development: different models, different places

McEwan, C., & Butler, R. (2007). Disability and development: different models, different places. Geography compass, 1(3), 448-466. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1749-8198.2007.00023.x

Coming out and outcomes: negotiating lesbian and gay identities with, and in, the family

Valentine, G., Skelton, T., & Butler, R. (2003). Coming out and outcomes: negotiating lesbian and gay identities with, and in, the family. Environment and planning. D, Society & space, 21(4), 479-499. https://doi.org/10.1068/d277t

The alternative fairy story: Diana and the sexual dissidents

Valentine, G., & Butler, R. (1999). The alternative fairy story: Diana and the sexual dissidents. Journal of gender studies, 8(3), 295-302. https://doi.org/10.1080/095892399102553

Research interests

Disability access

Disability politics

Social Constructions of identity

Assistance dogs

Disability hate crime

Postgraduate supervision

I have successfully supervised theses looking at aspects of mental health, trans identities and attitudes to HIV/AIDS

I am happy to discuss potential PhD topics across the broad area of disability studies., but especially in disabled identities, inclusive practice and assistance dogs.

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