Biography

Fernando Fontes is a Sociologist. He holds a PhD in Sociology and Social Policy, specialization in Disability Studies, University of Leeds, UK and an MA in Sociology and Social Policy, University of Coimbra, Portugal. He has been involved in Disability issues since 2000. Between 2000 and 2005, he worked as a sociologist for a disability NGO. In 2006 he completed his MA thesis with the title: "Disability and Childhood: social policies and representations in Portugal" and initiated the research for his PhD thesis, submitted in 2011 with the title: "Social Citizenship and Collective Action: The case of the Portuguese Disabled People's Movement". Fernando has been involved in the design, submission and development of a number of research projects exploring issues of disability, sexual and reproductive rights, including: "From spinal cord injury to social inclusion: disability as a personal and socio-political challenge" (2010 - 2013), "Disabled intimacies: sexual and reproductive citizenship of disabled women in Portugal" (2012 - 2014), "Breaking the silence: disabled people's experiences of hate crimes in Portugal" (2012 - 2017), "Decide Disability and selfdetermination: the challenge of Independent living in Portugal" (2016 - 2019) and "SUPERA - Supporting the Promotion of Equality in Research and Academia" (2018 - 2022). Significant publications include: 'Spinal Cord Injury in Portugal: Institutional and personal challenges' (Journal of Disability Policy Studies, 2017); 'Disability politics in Portugal and the colonial war' (Minority Reports, 2016), 'Deficiência e inclusão social: os percursos da lesão vértebro-medular em Portugal' (Sociologia, Problemas e Práticas, 2015); 'The Portuguese Disabled People's Movement: development, demands and outcomes'(Disability & Society, 2014); 'The emancipation of disability studies in Portugal' (Disability & Society, 2014); 'Pessoas com deficiência e políticas sociais em Portugal: Da caridade à cidadania social' (Revista Crítica de Ciências Sociais, 2009). He has published a book Pessoas com deficiência em Portugal [Disabled People in Portugal] (Fundação Francisco Manuel dos Santos, 2016) and co-edited the books Deficiência em Questão: Para uma crise da normalidade (NAU Editora, 2018), Deficiência e emancipação social: Para uma crise da normalidade (Edições Almedina, 2016) and Disability Studies: Emerging Insights and Perspectives (Disability Press, 2008).