United by Neurodiversity: Postgraduate Research in a Neurodiverse Context

This publication is included in the Autistic Autism Scholarship Project. four authors of this publication are identified as autistic in the project.

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Van Ommen, A. L., Cundill, H. J., Waldock, K. E., Tryfona, C., Macaskill, G., Barber, C., Douglas, S., Fowler, B., Gibbins, H., Lasch, I., & Brock, B. (2023). United by Neurodiversity: Postgraduate Research in a Neurodiverse Context. Journal of Disability & Religion, 27(4), 537-551. https://doi.org/10.1080/23312521.2023.2276112

Publication date: 2 Oct 2023 Added to AutiHub: 7 Jul 2026 Type: Article Article language: English
Publisher source (DOI) Full text OpenAlex source

This publication is integrated into AutiHub through:

Authors

Publication authors
11
Publication authors identified as autistic
4 / 11 (36.4%)
  1. Armand Léon Van Ommen
  2. Henna J. Cundill
  3. Krysia Emily Waldock *
  4. Catherine Tryfona
  1. Grant Macaskill
  2. Chris Barber *
  3. Sarah Douglas *
  4. Bryan Fowler
  1. Harry Gibbins
  2. Ian Lasch *
  3. Brian Brock

Abstract

This article contributes to the discussion of neurodiversity and theological education by presenting a self-reflection by a group of researchers affiliated with the Centre for Autism and Theology at the University of Aberdeen.Literature on postgraduates' experiences is missing from the current discussion on neurodiversity in higher education.This article offers first-hand accounts as a start to address this gap in the literature.Through the self-reflection exercise, it became clear how this group goes beyond policy documents on equality, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) by embodying what it means to be a neurodiverse group and what working together looks like in practice.This was characterized by the following themes: all are valued, students feel well-supported, and space for multiple perspectives enabled challenging the status quo in churches, theology, and the wider autism discourse.Theologically, the group interpreted their experiences along the images of the body of Christ and the imago Dei.

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 01:35.

Cited references
19
With a DOI
13
Without a DOI, from raw bibliography text
5
6 / 19 (31.6%) cited references include at least one author identified as autistic.
References with data to complete
0 / 19 (0.0%)
References with detected author names
19 / 19 (100.0%)
Without detected author names
0
Without a structured title
0
Without a stable identifier
3
References with raw author names still to review
0
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
51
From DOI or external metadata
51
From validated raw bibliography text
0
Raw names already validated
0
Raw names still to review
0
21 / 51 (41.2%) names are linked to an author already present in AutiHub. 30 / 51 (58.8%) names are not yet linked.
Names linked to a person identified as autistic
6 / 51 (11.8%)
Calculated across all author names detected in the cited bibliography. Among names linked to an author already present in AutiHub: 6 / 21 (28.6%). Distinct people identified as autistic: 5 / 48 (10.4%).
  2. Cameron H. (2010). Talking about god in practice: Theological action research and practical theology . Talking about god in practice: Theological action research and practical theology.
    Type: Other
    Crossref
  4. Fritjof Norrelgen , Elisabeth Fernell , Mats Eriksson , Åsa Hedvall , Clara Persson , Maria Sjölin et al. (2015). Children with autism spectrum disorders who do not develop phrase speech in the preschool years . Autism, 19(8), 934-943. SAGE Publications.
    Type: Article DOI: 10.1177/1362361314556782 OpenAlex: https://openalex.org/W2018368467
    Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
  5. Julia Cook , Laura Hull , Laura Crane , Will Mandy (2021). Camouflaging in autism: A systematic review . Clinical Psychology Review, 89(102), 102080. Elsevier BV.
    Type: Article DOI: 10.1016/j.cpr.2021.102080 OpenAlex: https://openalex.org/W3198172085
    Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
  6. Felicity Sedgewick , Laura Hull , Helen Ellis * (2022). Autism Masking: How and Why People Do It and the Impact It Can Have . Jessica Kingsley Publishers.
    Type: Book DOI: 10.5040/9781805015918 OpenAlex: https://openalex.org/W4403644953
    Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
  7. Valérie Van Hees , Tinneke Moyson , Herbert Roeyers (2015). Higher Education Experiences of Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder: Challenges, Benefits and Support Needs . Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 45(6), 1673-1688. Springer Science and Business Media LLC.
    Type: Article DOI: 10.1007/s10803-014-2324-2 OpenAlex: https://openalex.org/W2031696817
    Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
  9. Krysia Emily Waldock * , Nathan Keates (2022). Autistic voices in Autistic research . In The Routledge International Handbook of Critical Autism Studies (pp. 288-302). Routledge.
    Type: Book chapter DOI: 10.4324/9781003056577-28 OpenAlex: https://openalex.org/W4307049143
    AutiHub · Autistic Autism Scholarship Project Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
  10. David Kember , Tak-Shing Ha , Bick-Har Lam , April Lee , Sandra NG , Louisa Yan et al. (1997). The diverse role of the critical friend in supporting educational action research projects . Educational Action Research, 5(3), 463-481. Informa UK Limited.
    Type: Article DOI: 10.1080/09650799700200036 OpenAlex: https://openalex.org/W2167872850
    Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
  12. Clare Watkins , Helen Cameron , Deborah Bhatti , Catherine Duce , James Sweeney (2010). Talking about God in Practice: Theological Action Research and Practical Theology .
    Type: Book OpenAlex: https://openalex.org/W2798312055
    OpenAlex
  13. Grant Macaskill (2019). Autism and the Church: Bible, theology, and community .
    Type: Book OpenAlex: https://openalex.org/W2983288712
    Crossref OpenAlex
  14. Ginny Russell , Will Mandy , Daisy Elliott , Rhianna White , Tom Pittwood , Tamsin Ford (2019). Selection bias on intellectual ability in autism research: a cross-sectional review and meta-analysis . Molecular Autism, 10(1), 9. Springer Science and Business Media LLC.
    Type: Article DOI: 10.1186/s13229-019-0260-x OpenAlex: https://openalex.org/W2927010782
    Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
  15. Rapley S. (2021). Autistic thinking in the life of the Church . Autistic thinking in the life of the Church.
    Type: Other
    Crossref
  16. Daniel Glenn (2022). Neuroqueer Heresies: Notes on the Neurodiversity Paradigm, Autistic Empowerment, and Postnormal Possibilities . World Futures, 78(5), 339-341. Informa UK Limited.
    Type: Article DOI: 10.1080/02604027.2022.2094194 OpenAlex: https://openalex.org/W4285727398
    OpenAlex
  17. Ingibjorg Stefansdottir (2023). Autistic Thinking: In the Life of the Church . Journal of Disability & Religion, 27(3), 471-473. Informa UK Limited.
    Type: Article DOI: 10.1080/23312521.2022.2139040 OpenAlex: https://openalex.org/W4308885553
    OpenAlex
  18. Van Ommen A. L. (2023). Autism and worship: A liturgical theology . Autism and worship: A liturgical theology.
    Type: Other
    Crossref
  19. Walker, Nick (2021). Neuroqueer heresies: Notes on the neurodiversity paradigm, Autistic empowerment, and postnormal possibilities . Neuroqueer heresies: Notes on the neurodiversity paradigm, autistic empowerment, and postnormal possibilities.
    Type: Other OpenAlex: https://openalex.org/W7011697317
    Crossref OpenAlex