Professor Katherine Runswick-Cole

BSc(Hons) Open (Psych), MA (Hons), PGCE, PhD

School of Education

Chair in Education

Katherine Runswick Cole
Profile picture of Katherine Runswick Cole
k.runswick-cole@sheffield.ac.uk
+44 114 222 8101
The Wave

Full contact details

Professor Katherine Runswick-Cole
School of Education
The Wave
2 Whitham Road
Sheffield
S10 2AH
Research interests

Katherine has extensive experience of working alongside children, young people and adults with learning disabilities, their families and allies in research.  She has published widely in the areas of: critical disability studies; disabled children's childhood studies; inclusive education and care.  She is the mother of two adult children, one of whom has the label of learning disability.

Current projects

  • NIHR, HSDR) 1st October, 2022 - 31st December, 2024: a coproduced project with family carers of people with learning disabilities, the project is exploring the meanings of mental health and care, and of access services and support;
  •  (ESRC Standard Grant) (September, 2022 - August 2025): a co-produced research project dedicated to finding and sharing healthcare practices that enhance the lives of people with learning disabilities;
  • Medication and  my mental health: mental health medications in the lives of people with learning disabilities (NIHR, RfPB: Mental Health in the North) (February, 2022- March, 2024): a co-produced project about the use of mental health medications in the lives of people with learning disabilities;
  •  (NIHR)  (January, 2022- September, 2023): a project exploring the potential of Individual Placement and Support (IPS) and Supported Employment to remove the barriers to work;
  • (NIHR, RfSC) (April, 2023 - February, 2025): a coproduced project exploring access to support for people with learning disabilities on the margins of social care.
  •  (NIHR) (October, 2023-June, 2024)
  • Reigniting debate and stimulating a momentum for change: the role of research findings in engaging policy makers with current priorities for people with a learning disability (SSCR, NIHR) (October, 2023 - March, 2024)

Recent projects

Publications

Journal articles

  • Runswick-Cole K & Smith M (2027) Moving off Script: A/synchronous Storytelling with Family Carers and People with Learning Disabilities. Journal of Literary and Cultural Disability Studies.
  • Ribenfors F, Smith M, Runswick-Cole K & Ryan S (2025) . International Journal of Care and Caring, 1-18.
  • Collins G, Fyson R, Morgan G, Runswick-Cole K & Steel J (2022) The power threat meaning framework: development of a document for use in intellectual disabilities services. The Bulletin of the Faculty for People with Intellectual Disabilities, 20(1).
  • Goodley D, Lawthom R, Liddiard K & Runswick-Cole K (2021) . International Journal of Disability and Social Justice, 1(1), 27-49.
  • Douglas P, Runswick-Cole K, Ryan S & Fogg P (2021) . Journal of Literary and Cultural Disability Studies, 15(1), 39-56.
  • Underwood K, Moreno-Angarita M, Curran T, Runswick-Cole K & Wertlieb D (2020) . Canadian Journal of Disability Studies, 9(5), 302-327.
  • Hunter J, Runswick-Cole K, Goodley D & Lawthom R (2020) . British Journal of Special Education, 47(2), 134-151.
  • Runswick-Cole K & Ryan S (2019) . Disability & Society, 34(7-8), 1125-1139.
  • Frigerio A, Benozzo A, Holmes R & Runswick-Cole K (2018) . Qualitative Inquiry, 24(6), 390-402.
  • Goodley D, Liddiard K & Runswick-Cole K (2018) . Disability and Society, 33(2), 197-217.
  • Bates K, Goodley D & Runswick-Cole K (2017) . Disability and Society, 32(2), 160-175.
  • Runswick-Cole K, Lawthom R & Goodley D (2016) . Community, Work & Family, 19(2), 257-260.
  • Ignagni E, Fudge Schormans A, Liddiard K & Runswick-Cole K (2016) . Disability and Society.
  • Goodley D, Runswick Cole K & Liddiard K (2015) . Discourse: Studies in the Cultural Politics of Education.
  • Runswick-Cole K & Goodley D (2015) . Disability and Society, 30(4), 645-649.
  • Goodley D & Runswick Cole K (2015) . Emotional and Behavioural Difficulties, 20(1), 51-63.
  • Goodley D & Runswick-Cole K (2015) . Scandinavian Journal of Disability Research, 17(1), 1-13.
  • Goodley D & Runswick-Cole K (2014) . Discourse.
  • Curran T & Runswick-Cole K (2014) . Disability & Society, 29(10), 1617-1630.
  • Runswick-Cole K (2014) . Disability & Society, 29(7), 1117-1129.
  • Goodley D, Lawthom R & Runswick-Cole K (2014) . Disability and Society, 29(6), 980-984.
  • RunswickCole K (2014) . Sociology of Health & Illness, 36(3), 478-479.
  • Hodge N & Runswick-Cole K (2013) . Children's Geographies, 11(3), 311-325.
  • Goodley D & Runswick-Cole K (2013) . Scandinavian Journal of Disability Research, 15(1), 1-19.
  • RunswickCole K & Goodley D (2013) . Social and Personality Psychology Compass, 7(2), 67-78.
  • Goodley D & Runswick-Cole K (2012) . Educational and Child Psychology, 29(2), 53-66.
  • Goodley D & RunswickCole K (2011) . International Journal of Inclusive Education, 15(1), 71-85.
  • Goodley D & Runswick-Cole K (2011) . Research in Drama Education: The Journal of Applied Theatre and Performance, 16(1), 75-91.
  • Goodley D & Runswick Cole K (2011) . Sociology of Health & Illness, 33(4), 602-617.
  • RunswickCole K (2010) . Disability & Society, 25(7), 813-826.
  • Goodley D & RunswickCole K (2010) . Disability & Society, 25(4), 499-512.
  • RunswickCole K & Hodge N (2009) . British Journal of Special Education, 36(4), 198-203.
  • Hodge N & RunswickCole K (2008) . Disability & Society, 23(6), 637-647.
  • RunswickCole K (2008) . British Journal of Special Education, 35(3), 173-180.
  • Ryan S & RunswickCole K (2008) . Disability & Society, 23(3), 199-210.
  • RunswickCole K (2007) . Disability & Society, 22(3), 315-328.
  • Runswick-Cole K, Smith M & Croot L () Tired of spinning plates": Synopsis of mixed methods exploration of mental health experiences of adult/older carers of adults with learning disabilities. NIHR Journals Library.
  • Runswick-Cole K () Dis/entangling disability, mental health and the cultural politics of care. Scandinavian Journal of Disability Research.
Teaching interests

Katherine teaches on the BA Education, Culture and Childhood; the MA Education, the MA Education and Psychology and the MSc Education and Psychology (Conversion) programmes as well as supervising students on the EdD and PhD programmes. She particularly welcomes doctoral supervisions in the areas of disability, education, health and care.

Professional activities and memberships

She is a trustee at Beyond Words - a charity working with people with lived experience to co-create that help people understand and communicate their feelings, learn about new experiences and tell their own stories.