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I received my PhD in Critical Disability Studies from York University in 2018; my MA in Community Psychology (2010) and BA in Honours Psychology (2005) from Wilfrid Laurier University. Prior to joining Laurier I was a postdoctoral fellow in the DeGroote School of Business and Department of Economics at McMaster University. These experiences proceeded from over 15 years of experience in community-based research, health and social services, academic institutions, and activist organizations.
My research and community engagement work focuses on three broad themes: the intersectional relationship between disability, poverty, work/employment, climate action and political economy; social movement/coalition building locally, nationally, and transnationally; and advancing inclusive, creative, and critical community-engaged research methodologies.
My career has been driven by a vision for the eradication of poverty and social inequalities through the advancement of community development and social movements, scholarship and knowledge that promotes transformative change in organizations and institutions with respect for all forms of human difference and well-being for all. My research addresses various issues of social, economic, and environmental justice and in the public, private and non-profit sector in Canada and internationally.
Recent and ongoing projects:
- Co-Investigator: Participatory Advocacy Research Network: Building Authentic Partnerships and Collaborations to Further the Research and Advocacy Goals of the Developmental Disability Community. SSHRC Connection Grant (2023-2024)
- Principal Investigator: Disability Inclusion in the Green Economy: Challenges, Barriers and Opportunities. Mitacs (2022-2024)
- Co-Investigator: Making DPOs equal partners of inclusive development in Africa: Program Evaluation. International Disability Alliance and Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation. (2022-2023)
- Co-Investigator: CoPro2022: Advancing a New Era of Equity-Based Co-Production. SSHRC Connection Grant. (2022-2023)
- Principal Investigator: Disability Inclusion in a Just Transition Towards Environmentally Sustainable Economies and Societies. International Labour Organization. (2021)
- Co-Investigator: Disability Wikibase: Modelling and Implementing an Intelligent Bilingual Knowledge Network. SSHRC Insight Development Grant. (2020-2022)
- Co-Investigator: Toward Just Transitions: Integrating Sustainability Justice into Municipal Climate Action Planning. SSHRC Connection Grant. (2020-2021).
- Principal Investigator: Realizing the Rights of Persons with Disabilities through the SDGs. International Disability Alliance. (2020)
- Science Meets Parliament ON Delegate, Canadian Science Policy Centre (2026)
- Mitacs Accelerate Postdoctoral Fellowship (2022)
- Centre for Research on Work Disability Policy-Student Award (2016)
- SSHRC Doctoral Fellowship (2013)
- Ontario Graduate Scholarship (2012)
I am very interested in working with student at different levels who have research interests in the areas of interest outlined above and who want to use their studies to make a positive difference in the lives of individuals and communities. Students with an interest in disability issues, and/or environmental sustainability, climate change, climate action, environmental justice; and/or issues of socioeconomic poverty are encouraged to contact me.
Wilson, C., Buettgen, A., & Dekker, E. (accepted, expected publication Dec. 2027). Hope in Times of Intersecting Crises: Community-based research and practice in complex contexts. American Journal of Community Psychology.
Buettgen, A. (forthcoming). Toward a Disability-Inclusive Green Economy: A Critical Qualitative Analysis. Canadian Journal of Disability Studies, Fall 2026.
Erikkson, S., & Buettgen, A. (Eds.) (2025). Young People in Times of Crises: Global Revelations and Social Change. Cambridge Scholars Publishing.
Rioux, M., Buettgen, A., Zubrow, E., & Viera, J., (Eds.). (2024). Handbook of Disability: Critical Thought and Social Change in a Globalizing World. Springer. Living edition available at: https://link.springer.com/referencework/10.1007/978-981-16-1278-7
Buettgen, A., Bernasky, T., Gordon, J., MacDougall, K., Fudge-Schormans, A. Tavares, S., Schiarti, V., Mason, R., DuMont, J., & Huijbregts, M., (2025). Co-Designing Peer Support for Women Labelled with Intellectual Disabilities who Have Experienced Sexual Violence. Journal of Applied Research in Intellectual Disabilities, 38(5). e70123. doi: 10.1111/jar.70123
Bevan, A., Buettgen, A., Riemer, M., Spadafore, B., Scanlon, H., & Whitney, S. (2025). Operationalizing accessibility in environmental sustainability efforts: Challenges, barriers, and opportunities. PLOS Climate, 4(6). https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pclm.0000486
Buettgen, A. (2025). Poverty and economic inclusion: A critical disability studies perspective. Current Developmental Disorders Report. 12(14). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40474-025-00325-2
Buettgen, A., Lofts, K., & Tompa, E. (2024). Disability inclusion in the green economy: A scoping review of challenges, barriers and opportunities. Journal of Green Economy and Low Carbon Development, 3(4), 208-222. https://doi.org/10.56578/jgelcd030401
Buettgen, A., Gardiola, A., & Tompa, E. (2024). Engaging workers with disabilities in the financial sector: Exploring challenges, barriers, and promising practices for inclusion. Equality, Diversity and Inclusion. Ahead of print. https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/edi-12-2023-0457/full/html
Buettgen, A., Fontes, F., Eriksson, S., & Barnes, C. (2023). Special issue of Social Inclusion, 11(4): Disabled People and the Intersectional Nature of Social Inclusion. https://www.cogitatiopress.com/socialinclusion/pages/view/nextissues#DisabilityInclusion
Mulvale. G., Moll, S., Phoenix, M., Buettgen, A., Freeman, B., Murray-Leung, L., Micsinszki, S., Mulalu, L., Vrzovski, A., Bruce, E., Foisy, C., & Jusrut, P. (2024). Co-creating a new Charter for Equitable and Inclusive Co-Creation: Insights from an International Forum of academic and lived experience experts. BMJ Open, 14(3). doi:10.1136/ bmjopen-2023-078950 https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/14/3/e078950
Buettgen, A., & Tompa, E. (2023). From the Standpoint of Employees with Disabilities: An Analysis of Workplace Accommodation Processes in the Non-Profit Sector. Canadian Journal of Disability Studies. 12(1), 161–190. https://cjds.uwaterloo.ca/index.php/cjds/article/view/976
Jodoin, S., Buettgen, A., Groce, N., Gurung, P., C., Kett, M., Keough, M., Macanawai, S., Muñoz, Y., Powaseu, I., Stein, M.A., & Stein, P. (2023). Nothing About Us Without Us: The urgent need for disability-inclusive climate research. PLOS Climate, 2(3). https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pclm.0000153
Buettgen, A., Micsinszki, S., Phoenix, M., Mulvale, G., Wyndham-West, M., Park, S., Bruce, E., Fleisig, R., Rogerson, K., Murray-Leung, L., & Moll, S. (2022). Unpacking the potential of developmental evaluation in co-design work. Health Expectations, 25. 1186-1189. https://doi.org/10.1111/hex.13456.
Buettgen, A., & Klassen, T. (2020). The role of the non-profit sector as a potential site for inclusive employment. Canadian Journal of Nonprofit and Social Economy Research, 11(2). https://doi.org/10.29173/cjnser.2020v11n2a367
Buettgen, A., Castillo, M., Menze, J., & Tromel, S. (2022). Disability inclusion in a just transition towards environmentally sustainable economies and societies. Policy Brief commissioned by the International Labour Organization. https://www.ilo.org/global/topics/green-jobs/publications/just-transition-pb/WCMS_860628/lang--en/index.htm
Buettgen, A., Hardie, S., & Wicklund., E., Jean-François, K.M., Alimi, S. (2018). Understanding the Intersectional Forms of Discrimination Impacting Persons with Disabilities. Ottawa: Employment and Social Development Canada, Social Development Partnerships Program – Disability Component. Report available at: www.disabilitystudies.ca/projects--intersectional-forms-of-discrimination.html
Buettgen, A. (2024, May 31). Exploring inclusive employment of persons with disabilities in the green economy. IDEA Webinar. https://vraie-idea.ca/tools-and-resources/exploring-inclusive-employment-persons-disabilities-green-economy
Buettgen, A. (2023, May 25). Disability and working in non-profits. The Pulse. Accessible Media Inc. https://www.ami.ca/The-Pulse-Ep-35-Disability-Non-Profits
Buettgen, A. (2017, November 20). What the job market is like when you have a disability. Interview for TVO.org. https://tvo.org/article/current-affairs/what-the-job-market-is-like-when-you-have-a-disability