Confronting Ableism: The experiences of employees with bipolar disorder within ‘normative’ work contexts Kehinde Olowookere Submitted for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy Heriot-Watt University School of Social Sciences May 2017 The copyright in this thesis is owned by the author. Any quotation from the thesis or use of any of the information contained in it must acknowledge this thesis as the source of the quotation or information. Abstract In contemporary, westernized and industrialized nations, such as the United Kingdom, paid work is considered the foundation of political, economic and social order (Newton et al., 2007). As vital as it is, however, paid work/employment remains an area of disadvantage for individuals who are constructed as ‘different’, such as women and disabled individuals. Disabled people, in particular, have been found to experience exclusion and discrimination in the labour market. This is evidenced in employment indicators, which depict an uneven distribution in employment outcomes for disabled individuals, particularly those with mental health conditions. The reasons for these disadvantages remain the essence of substantial dissension. The current study aims to contribute to knowledge of why disabled employees, specifically those with bipolar disorder, may be disproportionately subjected to discriminatory attitudes and practices in the workplace and labour market. The overarching aim is to offer a theoretical background for understanding the experiences of employees with bipolar disorder in the workplace. The study conceptualizes disability as a social construct discursively produced within social relations. The research is informed by qualitative semi-structured interviews with individuals who have bipolar disorder, allowing for a detailed exploration of how participants interpret their work experiences. The data collected was analysed using narrative and Foucauldian analytical techniques. Fundamentally, the findings offer a nuanced and in-depth perspective on the experiences of a concealed, yet marginalized identity in the workplace. The insights gained point to how the experiences of work may be a product of the construct of work around the ‘ideal’ employee. The narratives collected also underscore that the social connotations attached to the label of bipolar disorder, when allotted to participants, constructs such individuals as ‘less capable’. It allows for the dissemination of meaning to participants’ experiences, and opens up positions of subjectivity for these individuals. The findings both affirm and strengthen the theoretical basis of the social relational model of disability. The study contributes to knowledge of the vital role played by ableist work contexts in the lived experiences of employees with bipolar disorder, a subject area that remains largely under-researched in the domain of work and employment. The particular emphasis on social interactions, and on problematizing work contexts rather than individual capability differentiates the study from previous studies on bipolar disorder, and generates pertinent considerations for disability studies. Essentially, the findings call for the modification of work to comprise inclusive strategies, which are suited to the individualities of employees. The implications, both for employees and employers, are wide-ranging. The analysis of the resistance of subjective positions in the study adds to knowledge of how the disadvantaged position of disabled employees can be confronted and altered. The findings also highlight the need for a shift in organizational and governmental policies/schemes from individualizing disability to querying the normative nature of work in contemporary workplaces. As such, the study does not only offer a nuanced analysis of the lived experiences of employees with bipolar disorder; it also offers suggestions on how prevailing discursive practices can be made accommodative of difference. i Acknowledgement I am most grateful to God for the grace to complete this study. A very special thank you to my supervisors Dr James Richards and Dr Kate Sang who offered the perfect balance between providing guidance and giving me autonomy on the research. I appreciate your incessant support during the duration of the study, and the time and knowledge given to the study. Your valuable and constructive feedback contributed greatly to its progress and success. I also want to thank Heriot-Watt University School of Management and Languages for the opportunity to carry out this research, and for providing the funding required. A big thank you to all the participants of the study, who shared their experiences of work with me. The study would have been impossible without your input and contributions. Thank you for giving your time readily and devotedly to participating in the study. I hope the study ultimately has a constructive impact on the experiences of bipolar disorder and mental health conditions in the contemporary workplace. Finally, my appreciation goes to my parents, brothers, sister, and friends for their continued support while writing this thesis. Thank you for the continued reassurance, and for demonstrating patience, even when I may have seemed inaccessible. A huge thank you to Taiwo for helping to proof read when needed. This study would have been impossible without you all. The thesis is dedicated to my family, and to everyone who struggles with bipolar disorder in the workplace. ii ACADEMIC REGISTRY Research Thesis Submission Name: Kehinde Olowookere School/PGI: Social Sciences Version: (i.e. First, Final Degree Sought PhD Business Management Resubmission, Final) (Award and Subject area) Declaration In accordance with the appropriate regulations I hereby submit my thesis and I declare that: 1) the thesis embodies the results of my own work and has been composed by myself 2) where appropriate, I have made acknowledgement of the work of others and have made reference to work carried out in collaboration with other persons 3) the thesis is the correct version of the thesis for submission and is the same version as any electronic versions submitted*. 4) my thesis for the award referred to, deposited in the Heriot-Watt University Library, should be made available for loan or photocopying and be available via the Institutional Repository, subject to such conditions as the Librarian may require 5) I understand that as a student of the University I am required to abide by the Regulations of the University and to conform to its discipline. * Please note that it is the responsibility of the candidate to ensure that the correct version of the thesis is submitted. Signature of Date: 17/05/2017 Candidate: Submission Submitted By (name in capitals): KEHINDE OLOWOOKERE Signature of Individual Submitting: Date Submitted: For Completion in the Student Service Centre (SSC) Received in the SSC by (name in capitals): Method of Submission (Handed in to SSC; posted through internal/external mail): E-thesis Submitted (mandatory for final theses) Signature: Date: iii Table of Contents Abstract .............................................................................................................................. i Acknowledgement ............................................................................................................ ii Research Thesis Submission ............................................................................................ iii List of Tables ................................................................................................................. viii List of Figures .................................................................................................................. ix List of abbreviations ......................................................................................................... x Chapter 1 Introduction ...................................................................................................... 1 1.1 Introduction ......................................................................................................... 1 1.2 Mental Health ...................................................................................................... 2 1.2.1 Bipolar Disorder ....................................................................................... 2 1.2.2 Prevalence of Bipolar Disorder ................................................................ 3 1.2.3 Why BPD? ............................................................................................... 5 1.2.4 BPD as disability ..................................................................................... 6 1.3 Language of the thesis ......................................................................................... 8 1.4 Researching Mental Health ................................................................................. 9 1.5 Debates on researching Mental Health ............................................................. 12 1.6 Significance of the study ................................................................................... 17 1.7 Research aims and objectives ............................................................................ 19 1.8 Research questions ............................................................................................ 20 1.9 Research structure ............................................................................................. 20 1.10 Conclusion .....................................................................................................