Mariela Gaete Reyes
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Contact details
Department of Geography
King's College London
Strand
London
WC2R 2LS
Email: mariela.gaete_reyes@kcl.ac.uk
King's College London
Strand
London
WC2R 2LS
Email: mariela.gaete_reyes@kcl.ac.uk
Research
Disability and the movement and mobility of women wheelchair users
Supervisor: Professor Rob Imrie
In order to achieve an equitable city, the needs of all citizens must be considered in the planning and the design of the built environment. In particular, it is important to focus on the needs of those persons who suffer an inequity of participation and social integration in their mobility and movement, such as disabled people. Rights of mobility, movement and access to the built environment are fundamental to ensure equal opportunities and personal development to everyone in society.
This research explores disabled people’s experiences of mobility and movement in the built environment. The study compares and contrasts different patterns of daily mobility and movement of women dependant on wheelchair use in different urban settings in England. It explores issues relating to disabled people’s access needs as well as the contexts within which their mobility is shaped.
The fieldwork includes life history research with 12 women wheelchair users, and contextual interviews with key actors in disability and access issues. The research is contributing to the understanding of the interrelationships between technology and impairment, how geographies of mobility are constructed within the home and the wider built environment, and the strategies of resistance deployed by disabled people to ensure some level of access to urban spaces and places.
Supervisor: Professor Rob Imrie
In order to achieve an equitable city, the needs of all citizens must be considered in the planning and the design of the built environment. In particular, it is important to focus on the needs of those persons who suffer an inequity of participation and social integration in their mobility and movement, such as disabled people. Rights of mobility, movement and access to the built environment are fundamental to ensure equal opportunities and personal development to everyone in society.
This research explores disabled people’s experiences of mobility and movement in the built environment. The study compares and contrasts different patterns of daily mobility and movement of women dependant on wheelchair use in different urban settings in England. It explores issues relating to disabled people’s access needs as well as the contexts within which their mobility is shaped.
The fieldwork includes life history research with 12 women wheelchair users, and contextual interviews with key actors in disability and access issues. The research is contributing to the understanding of the interrelationships between technology and impairment, how geographies of mobility are constructed within the home and the wider built environment, and the strategies of resistance deployed by disabled people to ensure some level of access to urban spaces and places.
Biography
Mariela was born in Santiago de Chile and lived there until the age of four when she moved to Bogotá, Colombia. She holds a Bachelor of Architecture (BArch) Professional Degree from the Universidad Nacional de Colombia. After finishing her degree’s programme and work for a couple of years as an architect in Bogotá she returned to Santiago to study for her Master of Science (MSc) in Urban Development at the Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile. Her MSc Dissertation completed in 2002 (awarded with two votes of distinction) focussed on the physical and social (attitudinal) barriers, which limit the Integration and equality of opportunities for children using wheelchairs in Santiago de Chile.
Due to her interest in understanding the access needs of disabled people she took training and developed several professional activities related to accessibility issues while she was researching for her MSc Dissertation. She worked one year as a research assistant for Dr Oscar Figueroa in the Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile and worked as a lecturer for 6 and half years (throughout her master’s studies and after) in the School of Construction and the School of Design in the Professional Institute DUOC UC in Santiago.
She travelled to the UK in September 2004 to study for a PhD funded by the Chilean Government. She began her studies at Salford University and transferred in her second year to King’s College London.
Due to her interest in understanding the access needs of disabled people she took training and developed several professional activities related to accessibility issues while she was researching for her MSc Dissertation. She worked one year as a research assistant for Dr Oscar Figueroa in the Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile and worked as a lecturer for 6 and half years (throughout her master’s studies and after) in the School of Construction and the School of Design in the Professional Institute DUOC UC in Santiago.
She travelled to the UK in September 2004 to study for a PhD funded by the Chilean Government. She began her studies at Salford University and transferred in her second year to King’s College London.
