Critical autism studies: exploring epistemic dialogues and intersections, challenging dominant understandings of autism

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O’Dell, L., Bertilsdotter Rosqvist, H., Ortega, F., Brownlow, C., & Orsini, M. (2016). Critical autism studies: exploring epistemic dialogues and intersections, challenging dominant understandings of autism. Disability & Society, 31(2), 166-179. https://doi.org/10.1080/09687599.2016.1164026

Publication date: 7 Feb 2016 Added to AutiHub: 4 Jul 2026 Type: Article Article language: English
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Authors

Publication authors
5
Publication authors identified as autistic
1 / 5 (20.0%)
  1. Lindsay O’Dell
  2. Hanna Bertilsdotter Rosqvist *
  3. Francisco Ortega
  4. Charlotte Brownlow
  5. Michael Orsini

Abstract

Critical autism studies: exploring epistemic dialogues and intersections, challenging dominant understandings of autismIn this paper we explore how our cultural contexts give rise to different kinds of knowledges of autism and examine how they are articulated, gain currency, and form the basis for policy, practice and political movements.We outline key tensions for the development of critical autism studies as an international, critical abilities approach.Our aim is not to offer a cross-cultural account of autism or to assume a coherence or universality of 'autism' as a singular diagnostic category/reality.Rather, we map the ways in which what is experienced and understood as autism, plays out in different cultural contexts, drawing on the notion of 'epistemic communities' to explore shifts in knowledge about autism, including concepts such as 'neurodiversity', and how these travel through cultural spaces.The paper explores two key epistemic tensions; the dominance of 'neuro culture' and dominant constructions of personhood and what it means to be human.

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Cited references
75
Total cited references integrated for this publication.
Cited references with an identified autistic author
5 / 75 (6.7%)
Cited author occurrences identified as autistic
5 / 111 (4.5%)
Among occurrences linked to AutiHub author records: 5 / 29 (17.2%). Distinct cited authors identified as autistic: 2 / 89 (2.2%).
Cited author occurrences linked to AutiHub author records
29 / 111 (26.1%)
Distinct linked cited authors: 16 / 89 (18.0%)
Linked cited-author occurrences not identified as autistic
24 / 29 (82.8%)
Among linked cited-author occurrences only. Across all cited-author occurrences: 24 / 111 (21.6%). Distinct linked cited authors not identified as autistic: 14 / 16 (87.5%).
1 cited bibliography entry could not be fully enriched from DOI metadata.
Crossref: not found (1)
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