An Exceptional Path: An Ethnographic Narrative Reflecting on Autistic Parenthood from Evolutionary, Cultural, and Spiritual Perspectives

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

Prince, D. (2010). An Exceptional Path: An Ethnographic Narrative Reflecting on Autistic Parenthood from Evolutionary, Cultural, and Spiritual Perspectives. Ethos, 38(1), 56-68. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1548-1352.2009.01081.x

Publication date: 1 Mar 2010 Added to AutiHub: 29 Aug 2026 Type: Article Article language: English

This publication is integrated into AutiHub through:

Authors

Publication authors
1
Publication authors identified as autistic
1 / 1 (100.0%)

Abstract

Abstract As the recognition of Autism Spectrum Disorder has increased, professionals and academics have theorized its epidemiology and pathology. As valuable as those perspectives are, rarely is the voice of the autistic person heard as a source of understanding. In this ethnographic article, I share my story as a person on the spectrum. I hope to illuminate not the disability of autism, but the reward of the struggle and the gifts that are part of a different way of being. As I reflect on the transformations that have occurred in my life, it becomes clear that my most important role is that of a mother to a son who would himself be diagnosed as autistic in a different context. This narrative offers thoughts about the complex challenges of living with autism—not only from a professional and academic standpoint but also from a deeply human one as well. [autism spectrum disorder, belonging, motherhood, experience]

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: 12 Sep 2026 01:04.

Cited references
7
With a DOI
3
Without a DOI, from raw bibliography text
4
0 / 7 (0.0%) cited references include at least one author identified as autistic.
References with data to complete
1 / 7 (14.3%)
References with detected author names
6 / 7 (85.7%)
Without detected author names
1
Without a structured title
1
Without a stable identifier
3
References with raw author names still to review
1
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
7
From DOI or external metadata
7
From validated raw bibliography text
0
Raw names already validated
0
Raw names still to review
1
0 / 7 (0.0%) names are linked to an author already present in AutiHub. 7 / 7 (100.0%) names are not yet linked.
Names linked to a person identified as autistic
0 / 7 (0.0%)
Calculated across all author names detected in the cited bibliography. No detected author names are currently linked to an author already present in AutiHub. Distinct people identified as autistic: 0 / 5 (0.0%).
  1. R. L. Bernor (1983). Geochronology and Zoogeographic Relationships of Miocene Hominoidea . In New Interpretations of Ape and Human Ancestry (pp. 21-64). Springer US.
    Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
  2. KATHARINE W. HULBERT (1975). Hominoid-Hominid Heterography and Evolutionary Patterns . In Paleoanthropology: Morphology and Paleoecology (pp. 153-162). DE GRUYTER MOUTON.
    Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
  3. Dawn Prince-Hughes (2002). Aquamarine Blue 5: Personal Stories of College Students with Autism .
    Type: Book OpenAlex: https://openalex.org/W653166389
    Crossref OpenAlex
  4. Rejeev Patnaik , David Cameron (1997). New Miocene fossil ape locality, Dangar, Hari-Talyangar region, Siwaliks, Northern India . Journal of Human Evolution, 32(1), 93-97. Elsevier BV.
    Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
  5. (n.d.). New York Times1996Gorilla at Illinois Zoo Rescues 3‐Year‐Old Boy. New York Times August 17(Section 1): 7.
    Type: Other
    Crossref
  6. Prince‐Hughes Dawn (2004). Songs of the Gorilla Nation: My Journey through Autism . Songs of the Gorilla Nation: My Journey through Autism.
    Type: Other
    Crossref
  7. Prince‐Hughes Dawn (2005). Expecting Teryk: An Exceptional Path to Parenthood . Expecting Teryk: An Exceptional Path to Parenthood.
    Type: Other
    Crossref