Sally Chivers

Sally Chivers is a Full Professor of Gender & Social Justice and English at Trent University, and a Founding Executive Member and Past Director of the Trent Centre for Aging & Society. She holds a B.A. from the University of Calgary and a Ph.D. from McGill University. Her research focuses on the cultural politics of aging and disability, particularly in film and literature. Key areas include age studies, disability studies, health humanities, and cultural gerontology. She has been recognized with the 2021 Distinguished Research Award for her contributions to interdisciplinary aging and disability studies.

Dr. Chivers’ work examines marginalized voices, such as older adults and people with disabilities, exploring themes like care relations, institutional dynamics, and societal discourses around aging. Her publications span academic articles, edited volumes, and book chapters, with notable works including Care Home Stories: Aging, Disability and Long-Term Residential Care and The Silvering Screen: Old Age and Disability in Cinema. She advocates for reimagining long-term care through interdisciplinary approaches and has contributed to public discourse via platforms like The Conversation.

Her recent research trends emphasize intersectional frameworks, blending Indigenous, crip, and queer perspectives with aging studies. Articles like Counter-narratives of Active Aging (2024) and What’s New is Old (2023) highlight her focus on innovative methodologies and policy critiques. Awards reflect her leadership in shaping global conversations around equity in aging and disability.

As an academic leader, Chivers has advised students and collaborated on grants advancing cultural gerontology and disability studies. She co-leads international research initiatives on residential care practices and has pioneered community-engaged projects linking arts and aging. Her work bridges academia and public policy, fostering inclusive narratives for marginalized groups.