Community psychology as reparations for violence in the construction of autism knowledge 1

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Abstract

Reparations refer to measures taken to redress systematic violations of human rights. I argue that Community Psychology should be a basic reparation for the systematic violation of human rights that traditional methods in Psychology have facilitated in the construction of autism knowledge. The presumed neutrality of psychologists grants them inordinate power, giving legitimacy to sometimes violent research. The guise of scientific objectivity facilitates gross institutional violence such as mass institutionalisation and eugenic programmes – which greatly affects autistic (and other) lives. The result has been that autistic individuals are treated as objects, their subjectivity denied and their boundaries and rights violated. This chapter will demonstrate that the current knowledge base of autism meets the definition of epistemological violence, dehumanisation, and objectification. I argue that epistemic accountability and responsibility is lacking from research because of our approach to the scientific method, before finally arguing that Community Psychology as a framework may begin to repair the damage from research violence. Community Psychology provides value-based praxis, reflexive practice, and accountability into the approach to science. Furthermore, its goals are commensurate with that of critical autism studies. Keywords: Community Psychology, human rights, epistemological violence

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