Autism as metaphor: narrative and counter‐narrative

This publication is included in the Autistic Autism Scholarship Project. one author of this publication is identified as autistic in the project.

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Broderick, A. A. & Ne'eman, A. (2008). Autism as metaphor: narrative and counter‐narrative. International Journal of Inclusive Education, 12(5-6), 459-476. https://doi.org/10.1080/13603110802377490

Publication date: 1 Sep 2008 Added to AutiHub: 6 Jul 2026 Type: Article Article language: English
Publisher source (DOI) OpenAlex source

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Authors

Publication authors
2
Publication authors identified as autistic
1 / 2 (50.0%)
  1. Alicia A. Broderick
  2. Ari Ne'eman *

Abstract

In this paper we explore the significance of metaphor and dominant cultural narratives in current autism discourse. We briefly explore the history of metaphor in autism discourse, and outline the contemporary struggle between the culturally dominant metaphor of autism as disease and the emergent counter‐narrative of autism within neurodiversity. We argue that metaphor serves very specific purposes in autism discourse, including (1) to create a commonsensical narrative congruence between common understandings of autism and currently dominant notions about its aetiology(ies) or causes(s), and (2) to create a commonsensical narrative congruence between common understandings of autism and currently dominant notions about appropriate responses to or interventions for autism. We argue that the bulk of the support for metaphorically framing autism within a disease model comes from within the non‐autistic (‘neurotypical’ or ‘NT’) community, whereas the bulk of the support for metaphorically framing autism within a neurodiversity model comes from within the autistic community (and is inclusive of some non‐autistic allies as well). In exploring these competing cultural narratives, we argue for the crucial import that counter‐narrative can play in the process of cultural critique and resistance to ideological hegemony.

Bibliography cited by this reference

Cited references are imported from external metadata sources when they are available. The list may be partial.

Cited bibliography overview

These indicators describe the bibliography cited by this publication. An author name is counted each time it appears in one cited reference, so the same person can be counted more than once. Names not yet linked to an author already present in AutiHub are treated as unknown, not as non-autistic. Last computed: 2 Oct 2026 01:00.

Cited references
57
With a DOI
25
Without a DOI, from raw bibliography text
26
2 / 57 (3.5%) cited references include at least one author identified as autistic.
References with data to complete
13 / 57 (22.8%)
References with detected author names
50 / 57 (87.7%)
Without detected author names
7
Without a structured title
7
Without a stable identifier
20
References with raw author names still to review
1
References with external metadata lookup issues
0
These indicators apply to cited references displayed on this page, after technical duplicates have been merged. A reference without a DOI can still support author statistics when a title and author names are available.
Author names detected in the cited bibliography
60
From DOI or external metadata
60
From validated raw bibliography text
0
Raw names already validated
0
Raw names still to review
1
11 / 60 (18.3%) names are linked to an author already present in AutiHub. 49 / 60 (81.7%) names are not yet linked.
Names linked to a person identified as autistic
2 / 60 (3.3%)
Calculated across all author names detected in the cited bibliography. Among names linked to an author already present in AutiHub: 2 / 11 (18.2%). Distinct people identified as autistic: 2 / 53 (3.8%).
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