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What Is Autism? A Clinical Understanding

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The Social, Cultural, and Political Discourses of Autism

Part of the book series: Education, Equity, Economy ((EEEC,volume 9))

Abstract

Across the globe, autism operates within a rapidly changing environment, and as a society, we are frequently exposed to messages about new discoveries or ideas about it. The media regularly reports stories about autism, proffering ideas about diagnosing and treating autistic children (e.g., see, Falco, 2009, for an example of this). Indeed, there has been extensive media coverage of autism, meaning that this condition has gone from being almost invisible to the public eye – now dominating a range of contexts and disciplines (Karim, 2017). The increased visibility of autism has prompted a surge in the attention given to discussing and studying autism. This increased awareness and spotlight on autism has resulted in a growing body of research focused on examining the aetiology, neurophysiology, genetics believed to underpin autism, as well as the behaviours of autistic individuals and programs of intervention. Many scholars have suggested that this increase in attention is a great and important stride forward for autistic people, their families, and the broader communities. However, the increased visibility of autism has also created challenges, critiques, and broad explorations of the very meaning(s) of the condition, the implications of it, the discourses that shroud it, and the location of autism within the field of mental health and disability studies (Lester & O’Reilly, 2016).

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  1. School of Education, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, USA

    Jessica Nina Lester

  2. University of Leicester and Leicestershire Partnership NHS Trust, Leicester, Leicestershire, UK

    Michelle O’Reilly

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Lester, J.N., O’Reilly, M. (2021). What Is Autism? A Clinical Understanding. In: The Social, Cultural, and Political Discourses of Autism. Education, Equity, Economy, vol 9. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-024-2134-7_3

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