The Future of Critical Autism Studies (CAS): Thinking through Critical Discourse Studies and Postcolonial Feminism

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

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Elmadagli, C. (2023). The Future of Critical Autism Studies (CAS): Thinking through Critical Discourse Studies and Postcolonial Feminism. Ought: The Journal of Autistic Culture, 5(1). https://doi.org/10.9707/2833-1508.1143

Journal or book title
Ought The Journal of Autistic Culture
Publisher
Grand Valley State University Libraries - DIGITAL COMMONS JOURNALS
Volume
5
Issue
1
Publication date: 13 Dec 2023 Added to AutiHub: 28 Sep 2026 Type: Article Article language: English
Publisher source (DOI) OpenAlex source

This publication is integrated into AutiHub through:

Authors

Publication authors
1
Publication authors identified as autistic
1 / 1 (100.0%)
  1. Cansu Elmadagli *

Abstract

The field of Critical Autism Studies (CAS) has evolved significantly since its inception, with scholars continually redefining its key tenets and objectives. CAS emerged as a response to conventional medical and social deficit-based models of autism and seeks to challenge the prevailing norm that considers neurotypicality as the unquestioned standard. This article, written by an autistic scholar, aims to contribute to the ongoing discussions in CAS. The article introduces novel perspectives by suggesting connections between CAS, Critical Discourse Studies (CDS), and postcolonial feminism. It advocates for the incorporation of concepts and tools from these traditions to enrich CAS’s approach. Furthermore, the article explores autism through the lens of colonisation, conceptualising autistic people, their identities, spaces, and cultures as colonised by neurotypical counterparts. It suggests that CAS can be viewed as a form of counter-discourse creation and resistant knowledge production. As a part of this discussion Lorde’s (2003) ideas on emancipation and Medina’s (2012) concepts of “epistemic resistance” are introduced, emphasising the need to challenge and deconstruct the tools and discourses used to oppress autistic individuals. In conclusion, the article calls for an emancipatory practice within CAS, urging scholars and the autistic community to collaborate, define their own paths to liberation, and critically examine their own perspectives. It emphasises the importance of centring autistic voices in CAS while inviting non-autistic scholars to be sensitive allies. This holistic approach aims to create a more inclusive and emancipatory space within Critical Autism Studies.

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: 3 Oct 2026 01:01.

Cited references
22
With a DOI
20
Without a DOI, from raw bibliography text
0
8 / 22 (36.4%) cited references include at least one author identified as autistic.
References with data to complete
1 / 22 (4.5%)
References with detected author names
21 / 22 (95.5%)
Without detected author names
1
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
47
From DOI or external metadata
47
From validated raw bibliography text
0
Raw names already validated
0
Raw names still to review
0
29 / 47 (61.7%) names are linked to an author already present in AutiHub. 18 / 47 (38.3%) names are not yet linked.
Names linked to a person identified as autistic
11 / 47 (23.4%)
Calculated across all author names detected in the cited bibliography. Among names linked to an author already present in AutiHub: 11 / 29 (37.9%). Distinct people identified as autistic: 7 / 38 (18.4%).
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    Type: Article DOI: 10.2307/2074659 OpenAlex: https://openalex.org/W2007161913
    OpenAlex
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    Type: Article DOI: 10.1177/0957926593004002006 OpenAlex: https://openalex.org/W2119467284
    OpenAlex
  7. Theo van Leeuwen (2008). Discourse and practice: new tools for critical discourse analysis .
    Type: Book OpenAlex: https://openalex.org/W2164111527
    OpenAlex
  8. R. D'Amico (1978). Discipline and Punish: The Birth of the Prison . Telos, 1978(36), 169-183. Telos Press.
    Type: Article DOI: 10.3817/0678036169 OpenAlex: https://openalex.org/W2317574555
    OpenAlex
  11. Noah Sasson , Daniel J. Faso , Jack Nugent , Sarah Lovell , Daniel P. Kennedy , Ruth B. Grossman (2017). Neurotypical Peers are Less Willing to Interact with Those with Autism based on Thin Slice Judgments . Scientific Reports, 7(1), 40700. Springer Science and Business Media LLC.
    Type: Article DOI: 10.1038/srep40700 OpenAlex: https://openalex.org/W2585989266
    OpenAlex
  13. Gabriele Griffin (2017). A Dictionary of Gender Studies . Oxford University Press.
    Type: Book DOI: 10.1093/acref/9780191834837.001.0001 OpenAlex: https://openalex.org/W2906020741
    OpenAlex
  14. Rabi Samil Alkhaldi , Elizabeth Sheppard , Peter Mitchell (2019). Is There a Link Between Autistic People Being Perceived Unfavorably and Having a Mind That Is Difficult to Read? Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 49(10), 3973-3982. Springer Science and Business Media LLC.
    Type: Article DOI: 10.1007/s10803-019-04101-1 OpenAlex: https://openalex.org/W2949760813
    OpenAlex
  15. Steven K. Kapp * (2019). How social deficit models exacerbate the medical model: Autism as case in point . Autism Policy Practice, 2(1), 3.
    Type: Article OpenAlex: https://openalex.org/W2989969085
    OpenAlex
  16. Kerrianne E Morrison , Kilee M. DeBrabander , Desiree R Jones , Daniel J Faso , Robert A. Ackerman , Noah Sasson (2020). Outcomes of real-world social interaction for autistic adults paired with autistic compared to typically developing partners . Autism, 24(5), 1067-1080. SAGE Publications.
    Type: Article DOI: 10.1177/1362361319892701 OpenAlex: https://openalex.org/W2996531634
    OpenAlex
  17. Reina Lewis , Sara Mills (2003). 1 'THE MASTER’S TOOLS WILL NEVER DISMANTLE THE MASTER’S HOUSE’ . In Feminist Postcolonial Theory (pp. 37-40). Routledge.
    Type: Book chapter DOI: 10.4324/9780203825235-7 OpenAlex: https://openalex.org/W2999354502
    OpenAlex
  18. Amandine Catala * (2020). Metaepistemic Injustice and Intellectual Disability: a Pluralist Account of Epistemic Agency . Ethical Theory and Moral Practice, 23(5), 755-776. Springer Science and Business Media LLC.
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    OpenAlex
  20. Sara Ryan (2014). Worlds of autism: across the spectrum of neurological difference . Choice Reviews Online, 51(10), 51-5873-51-5873. American Library Association.
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    OpenAlex
  22. Charlotte Brownlow , Lindsay O’Dell , Ding Abawi (2022). Critically contextualising ‘normal' development and the construction of the autistic individual . In The Routledge International Handbook of Critical Autism Studies (pp. 20-33). Routledge.
    Type: Book chapter DOI: 10.4324/9781003056577-4 OpenAlex: https://openalex.org/W4307049134
    OpenAlex