Adaptation or recognition of the autistic subject? Reimagining autistic work life: Deconstructing the notion of “real jobs” in the Swedish autistic self-advocacy movement

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

About the autistic author marker

Metadata sources used for this reference

OpenAlex Crossref
Learn more about the sources used

Bertilsdotter Rosqvist, H. & Keisu, B. (2012). Adaptation or recognition of the autistic subject? Reimagining autistic work life: Deconstructing the notion of “real jobs” in the Swedish autistic self-advocacy movement. Journal of Vocational Rehabilitation, 37(3), 203-212. https://doi.org/10.3233/jvr-2012-0615

Journal or book title
Journal of Vocational Rehabilitation
Publisher
SAGE Publications
Volume
37
Issue
3
Pages
203-212
Publication date: 1 Jan 2012 Added to AutiHub: 4 Jul 2026 Type: Article Article language: English
Publisher source (DOI) OpenAlex source

This publication is integrated into AutiHub through:

Authors

Publication authors
2
Publication authors identified as autistic
1 / 2 (50.0%)
  1. Hannah Bertilsdotter Rosqvist *
  2. Britt‐Inger Keisu

Abstract

Several researchers stress the importance of listening to autistic adults' own experiences of work and related issues. This paper critically explores an ambivalent discourse of empowerment using notions of employment and work life in the Swedish autistic self-advocacy movement. The discourse analysis is based on articles from the Swedish autistic self-advocacy magazine Empowerment. In the data, three key themes linked to the notion of work are identified: alternative meanings of a “real job”, formulations of work-related problems, and solutions to these problems. We identify two storylines. The first, more dominant one, we call the recreated norm storyline. This storyline, in line with an individual/medical perspective on autism as deficit, represents autism as causing people with autism to have difficulties finding and keeping jobs in the open labour market and as entailing employment support. The second, counter narrative we call the challenged norm storyline. In line with the social model of disability, it focuses on structural barriers and discrimination against people with autism on the labour market.

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 17:07.

Cited references
17
With a DOI
17
Without a DOI, from raw bibliography text
0
0 / 17 (0.0%) cited references include at least one author identified as autistic.
References with data to complete
0 / 17 (0.0%)
References with detected author names
17 / 17 (100.0%)
Without detected author names
0
Without a structured title
0
Without a stable identifier
0
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
28
From DOI or external metadata
28
From validated raw bibliography text
0
Raw names already validated
0
Raw names still to review
0
3 / 28 (10.7%) names are linked to an author already present in AutiHub. 25 / 28 (89.3%) names are not yet linked.
Names linked to a person identified as autistic
0 / 28 (0.0%)
Calculated across all author names detected in the cited bibliography. Among names linked to an author already present in AutiHub: 0 / 3 (0.0%). Distinct people identified as autistic: 0 / 28 (0.0%).
  1. Eve Müller , Adriana Schuler , Barbara A. Burton , Gregory B. Yates (2003). Meeting the vocational support needs of individuals with Asperger Syndrome and other autism spectrum disabilities . Journal of Vocational Rehabilitation, 18(3), 163-175. SAGE Publications.
    Type: Article DOI: 10.3233/jvr-2003-00193 OpenAlex: https://openalex.org/W1168441442
    OpenAlex
  2. Sally L. Chappel , Beth C. Somers (2010). Employing persons with autism spectrum disorders: A collaborative effort . Journal of Vocational Rehabilitation, 32(2), 117-124. SAGE Publications.
    Type: Article DOI: 10.3233/jvr-2010-0501 OpenAlex: https://openalex.org/W1544032159
    OpenAlex
  3. Helen McCabe , Suxing Wu (2009). Helping each other, helping ourselves: A case of employment for an adult with autism in Nanjing, China . Journal of Vocational Rehabilitation, 30(1), 57-66. SAGE Publications.
    Type: Article DOI: 10.3233/jvr-2009-0453 OpenAlex: https://openalex.org/W1568033423
    OpenAlex
  4. Julie Ridley , Susan Hunter (2006). The development of supported employment in Scotland . Journal of Vocational Rehabilitation, 25(1), 57-68. SAGE Publications.
    Type: Article DOI: 10.3233/jvr-2006-00341 OpenAlex: https://openalex.org/W1645669362
    OpenAlex
  5. Todd A. Van Wieren , Christine A. Reid , Brian T. McMahon (2008). Workplace discrimination and autism spectrum disorders: The National EEOC Americans with Disabilities Act Research project . WORK: A Journal of Prevention, Assessment & Rehabilitation, 31(3), 299-308. SAGE Publications.
    Type: Article DOI: 10.3233/wor-2008-00784 OpenAlex: https://openalex.org/W1936324291
    OpenAlex
  6. Stephanie Riger (1993). What's wrong with empowerment . American Journal of Community Psychology, 21(3), 279-292. Wiley.
    Type: Article DOI: 10.1007/bf00941504 OpenAlex: https://openalex.org/W1969906101
    OpenAlex
  7. Rebecca L. Jones (2002). “That’s very rude, I shouldn’t be telling you that” . Narrative Inquiry, 12(1), 121-143. John Benjamins Publishing Company.
    Type: Article DOI: 10.1075/ni.12.1.18jon OpenAlex: https://openalex.org/W1976644773
    OpenAlex
  8. ALASTAIR WILSON (2003). ‘Real Jobs’, ‘Learning Difficulties’ and Supported Employment . Disability & Society, 18(2), 99-115. Informa UK Limited.
    Type: Article DOI: 10.1080/0968759032000052770 OpenAlex: https://openalex.org/W2029590298
    OpenAlex
  9. Jay A. Conger , Rabindra N. Kanungo (1988). The Empowerment Process: Integrating Theory and Practice . The Academy of Management Review, 13(3), 471. Academy of Management.
    Type: Article DOI: 10.5465/amr.1988.4306983 OpenAlex: https://openalex.org/W2046591626
    OpenAlex
  10. Julian Rappaport (1987). Terms of empowerment/exemplars of prevention: Toward a theory for community psychology . American Journal of Community Psychology, 15(2), 121-148. Wiley.
    Type: Article DOI: 10.1007/bf00919275 OpenAlex: https://openalex.org/W2064092984
    OpenAlex
  11. Marc A. Zimmerman (1995). Psychological empowerment: Issues and illustrations . American Journal of Community Psychology, 23(5), 581-599. Wiley.
    Type: Article DOI: 10.1007/bf02506983 OpenAlex: https://openalex.org/W2106618426
    OpenAlex
  12. Carol Schall (2010). Positive behavior support: Supporting adults with autism spectrum disorders in the workplace . Journal of Vocational Rehabilitation, 32(2), 109-115. SAGE Publications.
    Type: Article DOI: 10.3233/jvr-2010-0500 OpenAlex: https://openalex.org/W2117852620
    OpenAlex
  13. G. M. Spreitzer (1995). PSYCHOLOGICAL, EMPOWERMENT IN THE WORKPLACE: DIMENSIONS, MEASUREMENT AND VALIDATION. Academy of Management Journal, 38(5), 1442-1465. Academy of Management.
    Type: Article DOI: 10.2307/256865 OpenAlex: https://openalex.org/W2135255056
    OpenAlex
  14. D. García‐Villamisar , Claire Hughes (2007). Supported employment improves cognitive performance in adults with Autism . Journal of Intellectual Disability Research, 51(2), 142-150. Wiley.
    Type: Article DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2788.2006.00854.x OpenAlex: https://openalex.org/W2135979225
    OpenAlex
  15. JANICE MCLAUGHLIN (2003). Screening Networks: Shared agendas in feminist and disability movement challenges to antenatal screening and abortion . Disability & Society, 18(3), 297-310. Informa UK Limited.
    Type: Article DOI: 10.1080/0968759032000052879 OpenAlex: https://openalex.org/W2138481127
    OpenAlex
  16. Charlotte Brownlow (2010). Presenting the self: Negotiating a label of autism . Journal of Intellectual & Developmental Disability, 35(1), 14-21. Informa UK Limited.
    Type: Article DOI: 10.3109/13668250903496336 OpenAlex: https://openalex.org/W2160747289
    OpenAlex
  17. Marta B. CalÁs , Linda Smircich (2012). From ‘the Woman's’ Point of View: Feminist Approaches to Organization Studies . In Studying Organization: Theory & Method (pp. 212-250). SAGE Publications Ltd.
    Type: Book chapter DOI: 10.4135/9781446218556.n8 OpenAlex: https://openalex.org/W2501231686
    OpenAlex