Disablement, Free Time & Work Under Capitalism

@disprecwork.bsky.social

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Exploring the politics of disablement, paid & unpaid work under capitalism & 'free time' | @cerasellachis.bsky.social disability politics | work | precarity | resistance | social security | rest | free time | bread and roses | #book | #PolEcon | sociology

Book cover with floral patterns from a William Morris part-finished sketch. It features large, curvaceous stylized flowers and twisting acanthus leaves - set against a background of smaller, entwined vines and leaves. The title "Disabling Capitalism: A Critical Inquiry Into Work, Productivism, and Disablement" by Ioana Cerasella Chis is displayed on a yellow rectangle.
Bread & Roses: The Politics of Rest & Free Time in, against, and beyond Disabling Capitalism Phase 1 (open now!): Questionnaires Questionnaire link: bit.ly/BreadRosesDisability From autumn 2026: Group discussions - email ioana.chis@glasgow.ac.uk if interested About the research: At a time when disabled people are doing more (paid and unpaid) activities than ever before, while access to meaningful rest and free time is increasingly denied and scrutinised, this study explores the experiences of rest and free time in the lives of disabled people in the UK. One of the publications of this project will be a Manifesto for Rest and Free Time from a disability politics perspective. Researcher: Ioana Cerasella Chis Email: ioana.chis@glasgow.ac.uk Website: breadrosesdisability.uk 2026-2028 project funded through The Leverhulme Trust Early Career Fellowship & The University of Glasgow LKAS Fellowship
Bread & Roses Rest, Free Time & disability How often do you have 'free time' without the opportunity to actually rest? if this is a question you’d like to respond to via a questionnaire (or meeting), visit the website below: BreadRosesDisability.uk/questionnaire Research participants needed: UK-based, over the age of 18 self-identifying as being disabled, chronically ill, learning disabled, d/Deaf, neurodivergent, experiencing mental distress, having impairments, or other similar terms.
two information cards on a grid background. One indicates that it represents a BSL video, the other ones does not. They both read: Bread and roses: the politics of rest and free time in, against, and beyond disabling capitalism. Overview of the project
Bread & Roses - The politics of rest adn free time in, against, and beyond disabling capitalism. Phase 1 - open now! Questionnaires. Questionnaire link: bit.ly/BreadRosesDisability
Poster about all phases of the project, written on an off-white background, with a peachy pink grid. The text about the questionnaire and group discussions are placed most centrally on dark purple and green banners, respectively. The poster also includes two photos: one to represent a questionnaire and the other to represent a group of people sitting around a table. The poster reads: ‘Questionnaire – you can take part now. Questionnaire link: bit.ly/RestDisability. Next to it is a QR code that can be scanned to visit the same link. In late 2026 & 2027 we will do group discussions. About the research: Disabled people are busier than ever before. Finding the time to rest and have free time is important. We are researching rest and free time in the lives of disabled people in the UK. This is a 2026-2028 project. Funders: Leverhulme Trust and University of Glasgow Researcher: Ioana Cerasella Chis Email: ioana.chis@glasgow.ac.uk Website: BreadRosesDisability.uk’
The proportion of GDP (the size of the country’s economy in a particular year) spent on social security, according to the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR): 2010-11: 12.0%, 2011-12: 12.0%, 2012-13: 12.1%, 2013-14: 11.7%, 2014-15: 11.5%, 2015-16: 11.3%, 2016-17: 10.9%, 2017-18: 10.5%, 2018-19: 10.3%. 2019-20: 10.2%, 2020-21: 11.9%, 2021-22: 10.4%, 2022-23: 10.0%, 2023-24: 10.9%, 2024-25: 10.7%, 2025-26 (latest OBR forecast): 10.9%, 2026-27 (latest OBR forecast): 11.2%, 2027-28 (latest OBR forecast): 11.1%, 2028-29 (latest OBR forecast): 11.0%, 2029-30 (latest OBR forecast): 11.1%, 2030-31 (latest OBR forecast): 11.2% [see chart 5.2, Economic and fiscal outlook – October 2024 and table 4.1, Economic and Fiscal Outlook – March 2026]
Banner for the post, which features its text in two squares. Above the squares is a sketch of wheat and roses.
Illustrated text on a grid background: 'Rest, Free Time, and Disability - Easy Read'. Framed by coloured rectangles (peachy orange, yellow, and white) with arrows pointing towards the text.
Information card with bold text 'Easy Read - Qustionnaire'. The text is written within a rectangular shape with a white background. Two larger rectangles are in the background (yellow and peachy orange), on top of a notebook-like patterned background. Two arrows point to the text.
Illustrated text on a grid background: 'Rest, Free Time, and Disability - Easy Read'. Framed by coloured rectangles (peachy orange, yellow, and white) with arrows pointing towards the text. Under the rectangles are the words Easy Read. At the bottom of the A4-sized image is another banner with a light-yellow background, which reads: 'Research study, University of Glasgow. BreadRosesDisability.uk'.
Don’t be afraid to challenge bits of our system that don’t work for you. I think it would be a strange person who said there was nothing wrong with the way our society is organised at all. It’s a rule for life, not just for this study: don’t be afraid to speak truth to power. Disabled gig economy worker The Politics of Disablement & Precarious Work project DisPrecWork.wordpress.com
Notebook page with the words Intro and Chapter 1 written on it
Information card with bold text 'Frequently Asked Questions. Bread & Roses: The Politics of Rest and Free time in, against, and beyond disabling capitalism'. The text is written within a rectangular shape with a white background. Two larger rectangles are in the background (yellow and peachy orange), on top of a notebook-like patterned background. Two arrows point to the text.
Banner for the project which features two rectangular shapes in purple and green, respectively. In each shape is placed a phase of the project. Phase one - open now! Questionnaires. Questionnaire link: bit.ly/BreadRosesDisability Future Phases: Group Discussions
Questionnaire - word document version (click here) - information card
Give Us The Right To A Grand Day Out Give us the right to a grand day out, Give us a seat on a nice clean train; Give us a view of the shining sea As the sun breaks through the Yorkshire rain. Give us a trip we can all go on Give us a day that’ll make us grin; Give us a toilet close to hand Not a mile down the train by a smelly bin.
Information card with bold text '‘Pass it on’ reflections on rest, work, and disability. Bread & Roses: The Politics of Rest and Free time in, against, and beyond disabling capitalism'. The text is written within a rectangular shape with a white background. Two larger rectangles are in the background (yellow and peachy orange), on top of a notebook-like patterned background. Two arrows point to the text.
Information card with bold text 'Group Discussions / Focus Groups. Bread & Roses: The Politics of Rest and Free time in, against, and beyond disabling capitalism'. The text is written within a rectangular shape with a white background. Two larger rectangles are in the background (yellow and peachy orange), on top of a notebook-like patterned background. Two arrows point to the text.
Information card with bold text 'Suggestions for the project'. Bread & Roses: The Politics of Rest and Free time in, against, and beyond disabling capitalism'. The text is written within a rectangular shape with a white background. Two larger rectangles are in the background (yellow and peachy orange), on top of a notebook-like patterned background. Two arrows point to the text.
2 Information cards with bold text 'How do you usually use your free time? if this is a question you’d like to respond to via a questionnaire (or meeting), visit the website below.' The second card reads: 'Bread & Roses: The Politics fo Rest and Free time in, against, and beyond disabling capitalism. Research participants needed: UK-based, over the age of 18 self-identifying as being disabled, chronically ill, learning disabled, d/Deaf, neurodivergent, experiencing mental distress, having impairments, or other similar terms'. Underneath is the website breadrosesdisability.uk/questionnaire. The text is written within two rectangular shapes (one next two the other) with a white background. Two larger rectangles are in the background for each card (yellow and peachy orange), on top of a notebook-like patterned background. Two arrows point to the text.
Information card with bold text 'Invitation to complete the questionnaire. Bread & Roses: The Politics fo Rest and Free time in, against, and beyond disabling capitalism'. The text is written within a rectangular shape with a white background. Two larger rectangles are in the background (yellow and peachy orange), on top of a notebook-like patterned background. Two arrows point to the text.
Information card with bold text 'Invitation to complete the questionnaire. Bread & Roses: The Politics fo Rest and Free time in, against, and beyond disabling capitalism'. The text is written within a rectangular shape with a white background. Two larger rectangles are in the background (yellow and peachy orange), on top of a notebook-like patterned background. Two arrows point to the text.
Poster about phase 1 of the project Phase 1 - open now! Questionnaires Questionnaire link: bit.ly/BreadRosesDisability. About the research: At a time when disabled people are doing more (paid and unpaid) activities than ever before, while access to meaningful rest and free time is increasingly denied and scrutinised, this study explores the experiences of rest and free time in the lives of disabled people in the UK. One of the publications of this project will be a Manifesto for Rest and Free Time from a disability politics perspective. You can join if you: self-identify as being disabled and/or chronically ill, learning disabled, neurodivergent, d/Deaf, having impairments, experiencing mental distress (or use other similar self-identification terms), and are over the age of 18 and live in the UK. Researcher: Ioana Cerasella Chis. Email: ioana.chis@glasgow.ac.uk. breadrosesdisability.uk. 2026-2028 project funded through The Leverhulme Trust Early Career Fellowship & The Uni of Glasgow
Next week - launch of the questionnaire! BreadRosesDisability.uk. The poster also features the logo of the project, with its name written on top of a series of light-coloured, white, yellow and peachy rectangular shapes.
The Politics of Disablement and Precarious Work project Rest, work, and disability 'Pass it on' reflections of disabled gig economy workers in the UK Researcher: Ioana Cerasella Chis disprecwork.wordpress.com
Printscreen of a post on the Spectator website, titled ‘benefits Britain exposed: are you paying for someone’s else day out?’
The politics of disablement, work, and free time under capitalism (white writing on a dark red background)
I would say to pay more attention to their family and less attention to their work because work is just not as important as your family. - Monica
"Just try and keep going, you know? And have a sense of humour, realise that there's some things that are out of your control. Trying to be aware of that and moving through the world at our own pace is what we all have to do. Try not to be too self-critical and be aware of internalising ableism. And just... good luck!'. - Felix
"Just try and keep going, you know? And have a sense of humour, realise that there's some things that are out of your control. Trying to be aware of that and moving through the world at our own pace is what we all have to do. Try not to be too self-critical and be aware of internalising ableism. And just... good luck!'. - Felix
Don't take work too seriously. Do the work you have to do and hopefully enjoy it (and join a union if possible), but it's not your entire life, so find leisure activities that give you pleasure. And best of luck whatever happens. - Dom
I'd tell them that they're right, everything that they say is right - all of the feelings that they have about how wrong and how shitty everything is, and how things should be better, they're absolutely right. Being let down and feeling ignored is definitely the common experience and there are other people that feel the same way. Find them because that will help. - Alex
I'd tell them that they're right, everything that they say is right - all of the feelings that they have about how wrong and how shitty everything is, and how things should be better, they're absolutely right. Being let down and feeling ignored is definitely the common experience and there are other people that feel the same way. Find them because that will help. - Alex
If you're lucky to find something that you love to do - do it! But also remember that if you want to continue and make a positive difference in the stuff that you do, then you can't influence and help others if you don't take care of yourself. You have to trust yourself and find people around you that you trust, because sometimes you do things without realising that you're doing them. Find those special people around you and when they tell you to stop doing something and take a rest, take their word as gospel. Otherwise you can't change the world if you exhaust yourself. At the end of the day you can only do what you like to do if you're able to do it, so think as much about yourself and what you do and you should be able to keep doing it'. - Mark
If you're lucky to find something that you love to do - do it! But also remember that if you want to continue and make a positive difference in the stuff that you do, then you can't influence and help others if you don't take care of yourself. You have to trust yourself and find people around you that you trust, because sometimes you do things without realising that you're doing them. Find those special people around you and when they tell you to stop doing something and take a rest, take their word as gospel. Otherwise you can't change the world if you exhaust yourself. At the end of the day you can only do what you like to do if you're able to do it, so think as much about yourself and what you do and you should be able to keep doing it'. - Mark
If you're lucky to find something that you love to do - do it! But also remember that if you want to continue and make a positive difference in the stuff that you do, then you can't influence and help others if you don't take care of yourself. You have to trust yourself and find people around you that you trust, because sometimes you do things without realising that you're doing them. Find those special people around you and when they tell you to stop doing something and take a rest, take their word as gospel. Otherwise you can't change the world if you exhaust yourself. At the end of the day you can only do what you like to do if you're able to do it, so think as much about yourself and what you do and you should be able to keep doing it'. - Mark
The Australian Sociological Association
Society for Disability Studies The name of the society is placed next to its blue dandelion logo
'For me the most important thing is to kill that "little capitalist devil inside ourselves" because that's toxic to everyone and it's very stupid and it's generated by this interlocked system of oppression, capitalism, and normalcy. The starting point is to be better able to defend ourselves and other people, our comrades (either disabled or temporarily able-bodied) from oppressive demands that are placed in terms of productivity, workload, performance. Maybe on that basis, do not be honest with your employer or whoever that is'. - Egista
'For me the most important thing is to kill that "little capitalist devil inside ourselves" because that's toxic to everyone and it's very stupid and it's generated by this interlocked system of oppression, capitalism, and normalcy. The starting point is to be better able to defend ourselves and other people, our comrades (either disabled or temporarily able-bodied) from oppressive demands that are placed in terms of productivity, workload, performance. Maybe on that basis, do not be honest with your employer or whoever that is'. - Egista
'... remember Margaret Thatcher only slept four hours a night and nobody wants to be like her, so more sleep is good, more rest is good. Maybe as well: we are experts in ourselves. Learning to understand ourselves without guilt and without shame - I think that's *huge*, you know? To be able to say: "no, this is what I need", to advocate for that, to self-advocate or advocate for other people - that, I think, is a really big one - for people to not feel the kind of shame'. - Julia
'... remember Margaret Thatcher only slept four hours a night and nobody wants to be like her, so more sleep is good, more rest is good. Maybe as well: we are experts in ourselves. Learning to understand ourselves without guilt and without shame - I think that's *huge*, you know? To be able to say: "no, this is what I need", to advocate for that, to self-advocate or advocate for other people - that, I think, is a really big one - for people to not feel the kind of shame'. - Julia
'In hindsight, across my life, I just wish I'd learned to say "no" an awful lot more. I've just really come to realise that actually doing less doesn't mean that you have achieved less. I wish I had a much better sense of that when I was a young man coming into my career, really. Doing less things but to a better standard is as valuable as this intensification that we've ended up in. Say no, just say no!' - Gus
'In hindsight, across my life, I just wish I'd learned to say "no" an awful lot more. I've just really come to realise that actually doing less doesn't mean that you have achieved less. I wish I had a much better sense of that when I was a young man coming into my career, really. Doing less things but to a better standard is as valuable as this intensification that we've ended up in. Say no, just say no!' - Gus
'Avoid burnout and keep some positivity. That's very important: having a positive vision for the future. Yes, there are many challenges, but we are all together. We're going to make it. And if the box doesn't fit you, throw it. Don't try the second time, the third time; just throw it. If it's not for you, it's not worth the effort. Throughout the journey you're going to come across wonderful people. Just keep your eyes, your ears, and your heart open to see them, to listen to them, to connect with them. And I'd send them a big smile'. - Ronald
'Avoid burnout and keep some positivity. That's very important: having a positive vision for the future. Yes, there are many challenges, but we are all together. We're going to make it. And if the box doesn't fit you, throw it. Don't try the second time, the third time; just throw it. If it's not for you, it's not worth the effort. Throughout the journey you're going to come across wonderful people. Just keep your eyes, your ears, and your heart open to see them, to listen to them, to connect with them. And I'd send them a big smile'. - Ronald
'Avoid burnout and keep some positivity. That's very important: having a positive vision for the future. Yes, there are many challenges, but we are all together. We're going to make it. And if the box doesn't fit you, throw it. Don't try the second time, the third time; just throw it. If it's not for you, it's not worth the effort. Throughout the journey you're going to come across wonderful people. Just keep your eyes, your ears, and your heart open to see them, to listen to them, to connect with them. And I'd send them a big smile'. - Ronald
'Self-care is absolutely crucial. You can't help others or produce anything if you are unable to look after yourself and your needs, so that you are meeting the world with your best self, your best good, feeling, capable self. If you don't look after yourself, you get into the spiral where you work too hard, try too hard, and it breaks you. It's not productive for you, it's not self-fulfilling and it usually backfires on you. And organise - organise, organise, organise. If we all got together and really insisted on what we need, it'd be difficult for them to keep fucking us over one-by-one, which is I think what happens to workers who are precarious in body/mind, as they see it'. - Ursula
'Self-care is absolutely crucial. You can't help others or produce anything if you are unable to look after yourself and your needs, so that you are meeting the world with your best self, your best good, feeling, capable self. If you don't look after yourself, you get into the spiral where you work too hard, try too hard, and it breaks you. It's not productive for you, it's not self-fulfilling and it usually backfires on you. And organise - organise, organise, organise. If we all got together and really insisted on what we need, it'd be difficult for them to keep fucking us over one-by-one, which is I think what happens to workers who are precarious in body/mind, as they see it'. - Ursula
'Self-care is absolutely crucial. You can't help others or produce anything if you are unable to look after yourself and your needs, so that you are meeting the world with your best self, your best good, feeling, capable self. If you don't look after yourself, you get into the spiral where you work too hard, try too hard, and it breaks you. It's not productive for you, it's not self-fulfilling and it usually backfires on you. And organise - organise, organise, organise. If we all got together and really insisted on what we need, it'd be difficult for them to keep fucking us over one-by-one, which is I think what happens to workers who are precarious in body/mind, as they see it'. - Ursula
120th ASA Annual Meeting Reimagining the Future of Work August 8-12, 2025 Chicago, IL ASA The poster includes a representation of six people working at a table.
by the present sort of sensible, business arithmetic. We still have to make the case for our sort of sensible arithmetic that is based upon community care, the sharing of responsibility, the sharing of resources and the fact that most of the problems that now confront the great mass of working people in this country cannot be solved, and will not be solved, by the arithmetic of the market forces that are displayed in full ferocity in The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists. Robert Noonan,
by the present sort of sensible, business arithmetic. We still have to make the case for our sort of sensible arithmetic that is based upon community care, the sharing of responsibility, the sharing of resources and the fact that most of the problems that now confront the great mass of working people in this country cannot be solved, and will not be solved, by the arithmetic of the market forces that are displayed in full ferocity in The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists. Robert Noonan,
'You can't work where there's a constant battle, it's just impossible. You might be able to do your day job but you're not going to be able to progress or enjoy it or rest, or get on with your life. I don't know what the advice is but hopefully don't spend time on that... I just think workplaces need to be different and people do need to be valued better and disabled people need better access to work and everyone needs better support at work, I think. There's just a lot of lip service and talk about mental health and talk about wellbeing and talk about work-life balance but actually, I just don't think a lot of it is making a different to people's lives. It's just words'. - Amelie
'You can't work where there's a constant battle, it's just impossible. You might be able to do your day job but you're not going to be able to progress or enjoy it or rest, or get on with your life. I don't know what the advice is but hopefully don't spend time on that... I just think workplaces need to be different and people do need to be valued better and disabled people need better access to work and everyone needs better support at work, I think. There's just a lot of lip service and talk about mental health and talk about wellbeing and talk about work-life balance but actually, I just don't think a lot of it is making a different to people's lives. It's just words'. - Amelie
'You can't work where there's a constant battle, it's just impossible. You might be able to do your day job but you're not going to be able to progress or enjoy it or rest, or get on with your life. I don't know what the advice is but hopefully don't spend time on that... I just think workplaces need to be different and people do need to be valued better and disabled people need better access to work and everyone needs better support at work, I think. There's just a lot of lip service and talk about mental health and talk about wellbeing and talk about work-life balance but actually, I just don't think a lot of it is making a different to people's lives. It's just words'. - Amelie