“I like you being here”

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Sutton, B. S. (2021). “I like you being here”. HAU: Journal of Ethnographic Theory, 11(2), 675-692. https://doi.org/10.1086/717106

Publication date: 1 Sep 2021 Added to AutiHub: 6 Jul 2026 Type: Article Article language: English
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Authors

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1
Publication authors identified as autistic
1 / 1 (100.0%)
  1. Beth S. Sutton *

Abstract

In this article, I establish some reasons why neurodivergent (ND) people are unlocatable in anthropology and examine a fundamental crisis of mis/under-representing being-ND-in-the-world. I begin with a critique of anthropological ethics at large, disentangling some ableist assumptions about informed consent with “vulnerable” groups. I go on to present “The Theory of ConSENt”: a SEN-based approach that can enable ND people to understand the research process with regards to ethics. SEN is a commonly used acronym for Special Educational Needs. I then argue there is untapped potential within Sensory Anthropology, as it offers a capacious opening to the research of ND people. I highlight a place for SENsory praxis, as a way of neurodiversifying existing methods to enable a full range of abilities to flourish in ethnography. This article makes a well overdue case against anthropological ableism, contributing to the ongoing work of decolonisation.

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Cited references
83
Total cited references integrated for this publication.
Cited references with an identified autistic author
3 / 83 (3.6%)
Cited author occurrences identified as autistic
3 / 103 (2.9%)
Among occurrences linked to AutiHub author records: 3 / 3 (100.0%). Distinct cited authors identified as autistic: 2 / 92 (2.2%).
Cited author occurrences linked to AutiHub author records
3 / 103 (2.9%)
Distinct linked cited authors: 2 / 92 (2.2%)
Linked cited-author occurrences not identified as autistic
0 / 3 (0.0%)
Among linked cited-author occurrences only. Across all cited-author occurrences: 0 / 103 (0.0%). Distinct linked cited authors not identified as autistic: 0 / 2 (0.0%).
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