The Essex Autonomy Project is a collaborative, interdisciplinary research initiative based in the School of Philosophy and Art History. We were founded in 2010 with the initial aim of clarifying the ideal of self-determination history, theory and practice, but have developed our work to include research on topics such as decision-making capacity after brain injury, the application of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in care practice and objective risk assessments. We work with academic researchers, practitioners and policy-makers across the UK.
Our team spends much of the year in active research and in teaching undergraduate and postgraduate students at the University of Essex, but we also deliver work place training for social care practitioners, host an annual summer school and run ad hoc workshops and seminars throughout the year. Research staff from the project are also engaged in consultancy, advice and training for external clients.
The EAP was initially funded in 2010 by two large-scale grants from the Arts and Humanities Research Council, but we have subsequently received funding from the Economic and Social Research Council, Wellcome Trust and the British Academy.
Our Research
Find out about the areas we work in
Our People
Meet the people behind the Autonomy Project
Project Timeline
Take a look at the project milestones
Philosophy at Essex
See where the project is based, plus other work taking place in the School
