Creating Inclusive Workplaces for Academics with Energy Limiting Conditions – University of Liverpool

I worked with Professor Bethan Evans at the University of Liverpool on illustration for academic research into energy-limiting conditions in academic workplaces, part of an ISRF Political Economy Fellowship with Dr Anna Ruddock and Dr Alison Allam. The illustrations go alongside guidance for universities on making academic work more inclusive for people living with chronic illness.

The research looks at how ableism and burnout get built into academic life, and how energy, exhaustion and access shape who gets to keep working and who burns out. It draws on Crip Theory and the experiences of people with energy-limiting chronic illness, and makes the case for slower, more sustainable ways of doing research and teaching, pushing back on what the project calls the “exhaustion economy”.

For me, the interesting part was figuring out how to picture experiences that are usually invisible, like fatigue, or the daily maths of rationing your energy, in a way that institutions would take seriously. The illustrations show real-world scenarios where simple adjustments could improve the holistic experience of academics living with chronic illness. I worked closely and iteratively with the team and their excellent guidance to get each right.

There’s more about the research over at exhaustioneconomy.uk. And if you’re a researcher with work you’d like to bring to life through illustration for academic research, comics or animation, I’d love to hear from you. Get in touch.