Rebecca Maskos

Prof. Dr. Rebecca Maskos is Professor of Disability Studies at ASH Berlin (Alice Salomon Hochschule Berlin), where she leads groundbreaking work in critical disability studies, intersectionality, and ableism. Her position as holder of the dedicated Professorship for Disability Studies places her at the forefront of academic disability research in Germany.

Her academic journey includes a Diploma in Psychology from the University of Bremen, journalistic training at Radio Bremen (2005-2007), and a 2023 Doctorate in Philosophy from the University of Bremen with her award-winning dissertation "Wheelchair Avoidance and Wheelchair Appropriation in the Context of Ableism. A Qualitative Study." Her background uniquely blends psychological training, journalistic experience, and philosophical inquiry.

Prof. Maskos' research fundamentally challenges conventional understandings of disability through a critical lens that examines how power structures, social institutions, and cultural practices construct disability as a site of discrimination. Her work spans multiple dimensions including disability and gender (particularly in "Das Unbehagen an Behinderung"), pandemic impacts on disabled communities, assistive technology and identity (as explored in "Mein Leben als Cyborg"), and the political implications of prenatal diagnostics. She approaches disability not as an individual medical condition but as a social and political identity shaped by systemic ableism.

Her publication record reveals a consistent trajectory of examining disability through intersectional frameworks that connect with gender, healthcare systems, education, and social policy. The thematic evolution shows increasing engagement with practical applications of disability theory while maintaining theoretical rigor, particularly in how ableism operates across different social contexts and institutional settings.

Her notable achievements include:

• Bremen Study Prize 2024 for her dissertation on wheelchair use and ableism
• Nomination for the Alternative Media Award 2020 for "Prenatal Diagnostics: I am a Risk Person"
• DAAD Short-Term Scholarship 2019 for doctoral research at University of Sheffield
• Nomination for the Grimme Online Award 2013 with Sozialhelden eV
• Fulbright Scholarship to University of Illinois at Chicago 2000/2001

Prof. Maskos actively bridges academic research with public discourse and activism. As co-editor of the Journal of Disability Studies (ZDS) and founding member of AG Disability Studies Germany, she shapes the field institutionally. Her public engagement includes regular media contributions to outlets like Der Spiegel, Taz, and Deutschlandfunk, as well as participation in major public forums including the German Ethics Council. She co-founded leidmedien.de and contributes to Mondkalb - Journal for Organized Disability, demonstrating her commitment to connecting academic work with disability community knowledge and activism.

Her teaching focuses on social work in the field of "Disability/Dis_Ability," integrating theoretical frameworks with practical applications for future social work professionals. Her approach emphasizes critical perspectives that challenge ableist assumptions in social work practice while developing inclusive methodologies grounded in disability justice principles.