Disposable dispositions: reflections upon the work of Iris Marion Young in relation to the social oppression of autistic people

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

Milton, D. (2016). Disposable dispositions: reflections upon the work of Iris Marion Young in relation to the social oppression of autistic people. Disability & Society, 31(10), 1403-1407. https://doi.org/10.1080/09687599.2016.1263468

Publication date: 25 Nov 2016 Added to AutiHub: 6 Jul 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

This brief commentary piece looks to apply the theories of Iris Marion Young to the social position and oppression of autistic people, as previously theorised by Milton. The concepts of ‘Asymmetrical symmetry’ and the ‘Five faces of oppression’ are explored in this regard. The article concludes by arguing that autistic people, particularly those who have significant intellectual impairments, can be socially marginalised to the extent of occupying the social position of ‘non-human’ with the staggering consequences for social well-being that this implies.

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 14:02.

Cited references
30
With a DOI
14
Without a DOI, from raw bibliography text
11
11 / 30 (36.7%) cited references include at least one author identified as autistic.
References with data to complete
3 / 30 (10.0%)
References with detected author names
30 / 30 (100.0%)
Without detected author names
0
Without a structured title
3
Without a stable identifier
10
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
45
From DOI or external metadata
45
From validated raw bibliography text
0
Raw names already validated
0
Raw names still to review
0
23 / 45 (51.1%) names are linked to an author already present in AutiHub. 22 / 45 (48.9%) names are not yet linked.
Names linked to a person identified as autistic
13 / 45 (28.9%)
Calculated across all author names detected in the cited bibliography. Among names linked to an author already present in AutiHub: 13 / 23 (56.5%). Distinct people identified as autistic: 8 / 37 (21.6%).
  1. Ann E. Cudd , Robin O. Andreasen (2005). Feminist Theory: A Philosophical Anthology .
    Type: Book OpenAlex: https://openalex.org/W46714493
    OpenAlex
  2. Benhabib S. (1991). Situating the Self . Situating the Self.
    Type: Other
    Crossref
  3. Tatja Hirvikoski , Ellenor Mittendorfer-Rutz , Marcus Boman , Henrik Larsson , Paul Lichtenstein , Sven Bölte (2016). Premature mortality in autism spectrum disorder . British Journal of Psychiatry, 208(3), 232-238. Royal College of Psychiatrists.
    Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
  4. Elizabeth Pellicano , Adam Dinsmore , Tony Charman (2013). A Future Made Together: Shaping Autism Research in the UK . IOE EPrints.
    Type: Article OpenAlex: https://openalex.org/W150421255
    Crossref OpenAlex
  5. Iris Marion Young (1980). Throwing like a girl: A phenomenology of feminine body comportment motility and spatiality . Human Studies, 3(1), 137-156. Springer Science and Business Media LLC.
    Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
  6. Garfinkel H. (1967). Studies in Ethnomethodology . Studies in Ethnomethodology.
    Type: Other
    Crossref
  7. Anat Greenstein (2014). Today's learning objective is to have a party: playing research with students in a secondary school special needs unit . Journal of Research in Special Educational Needs, 14(2), 71-81. Wiley.
    Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
  8. Ian Hacking (2009). Autistic autobiography . Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 364(1522), 1467-1473. The Royal Society.
    Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
  9. Steven K. Kapp *Autistic author. Learn more… (2011). Navajo and autism: the beauty of harmony . Disability & Society, 26(5), 583-595. Informa UK Limited.
    AutiHub · Autistic Autism Scholarship Project Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
  10. Iris Marion Young (1997). Intersecting Voices . Princeton University Press.
    Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
  11. Milton D (2014). CIT0015 Autism: The International Journal of Research and Practice (Special Edition ‘Autism and Society’).
    Type: Other
    Crossref
  12. Milton D (2014). Good Autism Practice: Autism, Happiness and Wellbeing . Good Autism Practice: Autism, Happiness and Wellbeing, 58.
    Type: Other
    Crossref
  13. Milton D. (2016). Ten Rules for Ensuring People with Learning Disabilities and Those on the Autism Spectrum Develop ‘Challenging Behaviour’ … and Maybe What to Do about It . Ten Rules for Ensuring People with Learning Disabilities and Those on the Autism Spectrum Develop ‘Challenging Behaviour’ … and Maybe What to Do about It.
    Type: Other
    Crossref
  14. Talcott Parsons (1951). The Social System .
    Type: Book OpenAlex: https://openalex.org/W2151621121
    OpenAlex
  15. Moran H. (2006). CIT0020 Good Autism Practice, 7(2), 78.
    Type: Other
    Crossref
  16. Damian Milton *Autistic author. Learn more… , Michael Bracher (2013). Autistics speak but are they heard? Med Sociol online, 7(2), 61.
    Type: Article OpenAlex: https://openalex.org/W2337764906
    OpenAlex
  17. Tracey A. Parsons *Autistic author. Learn more… (1951). The Social System . The Social System.
    Type: Other
    Crossref
  18. Damian Milton *Autistic author. Learn more… (2012). Fragments: putting the self back into the picture . In Kent Academic Repository (University of Kent).
    Type: Book chapter OpenAlex: https://openalex.org/W2924270185
    OpenAlex
  19. Seyla Benhabib (1992). Situating the Self .
    Type: Book OpenAlex: https://openalex.org/W3000299795
    OpenAlex
  20. Williams D. (1996). Autism: An Inside-Out Approach . Autism: An ‘Inside-Out’ Approach.
    Type: Other
    Crossref
  21. P. John Williams (2007). CIT0026 Good Autism Practice, 8(2), 51.
    Type: Other
    Crossref
  22. James S. Coleman , Harold Garfinkel (1968). Studies in Ethnomethodology. American Sociological Review, 33(1), 126. SAGE Publications.
    Type: Article DOI: 10.2307/2092246 OpenAlex: https://openalex.org/W4301962337
    OpenAlex
  23. Young I. (1990). Feminist Theory: A Philosophical Anthology . Feminist Theory: A Philosophical Anthology, 91.
    Type: Other
    Crossref