Forming strong cultural identities in an intersecting space of Indigeneity and autism using participatory action research and digital storytelling

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Simpson, H. A. (2023). Forming strong cultural identities in an intersecting space of Indigeneity and autism using participatory action research and digital storytelling. AlterNative: An International Journal of Indigenous Peoples, 19(4), 862-872. https://doi.org/10.1177/11771801231197838

Publication date: 24 Nov 2023 Added to AutiHub: 21 Sep 2026 Type: Article Article language: English
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Authors

Publication authors
1
Publication authors identified as autistic
1 / 1 (100.0%)
  1. Heather A Simpson *

Abstract

This research responds to the urgency to disrupt patterns of social injustice, exclusion, and cultural genocide while promoting positive identity formation, pride, and resilience for Indigenous autistics in the post-secondary education system. This study utilized a participatory action research approach positioning participants as collaborators with the research team. Data collection involved qualitative data derived from the transcripts of online sessions, participant digital stories, and a summative survey. Thematic analysis was used to identify emergent themes of individual and a collective narrative. Findings are presented as an original concept of the author called Thrivival: The Fire Within, comprising four themes: self-identity, time, balance, and community. This work contributes to a broader understanding and expressions of Indigenization, decolonization, equity, diversity, and inclusion in post-secondary teaching, learning, and policy to better support the identity and success of Indigenous autistic students and arguably, all students who experience intersectional discrimination within post-secondary education systems.

Bibliography cited by this reference

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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 08:11.

Cited references
50
With a DOI
35
Without a DOI, from raw bibliography text
13
3 / 50 (6.0%) cited references include at least one author identified as autistic.
References with data to complete
8 / 50 (16.0%)
References with detected author names
42 / 50 (84.0%)
Without detected author names
8
Without a structured title
8
Without a stable identifier
12
References with raw author names still to review
8
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
109
From DOI or external metadata
109
From validated raw bibliography text
0
Raw names already validated
0
Raw names still to review
21
18 / 109 (16.5%) names are linked to an author already present in AutiHub. 91 / 109 (83.5%) names are not yet linked.
Names linked to a person identified as autistic
3 / 109 (2.8%)
Calculated across all author names detected in the cited bibliography. Among names linked to an author already present in AutiHub: 3 / 18 (16.7%). Distinct people identified as autistic: 2 / 104 (1.9%).
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