What is autism? What is neurodiversity? Is it a difference or a disability? How do the social sciences and life sciences conceive autism, interpret and study it, and for what purpose? These are some of the questions we're going to delve into during a series of bimonthly readings.

In each session, two central texts will be presented and discussed, read against each other in search of consonances and differences, which can be complemented by other texts or materials.

We hope that from the joint discussions we can gradually map out the territory we are travelling through, and gradually consolidate an interdisciplinary group of researchers, activists, professionals and curious people who want to welcome autism into society.

Resident Readers

The readings will be given by Rita Serra, Andreia Dickinson, Pedro Almeida and Sara Rocha, with the participation of special guests with whom we like to talk. The discussions will be open to anyone who wants to attend and participate.

Andreia Dickinson, MA. Psychologist, psychotherapist and researcher. She takes part in collaborative action-research activities with a social impact. She works mainly with neurodivergent and migrant populations. Her main areas of intervention are identity processes/transformations and access to health. She is a member of APPsyCI - Applied Psychology Research Centre Capabilities & Inclusion, ISPA. Full CV at https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8815-1708

Pedro Almeida, born in Viseu, living in Aveiro, graduated in Medicine from the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Porto in 2015. He joined the psychiatry internship at the Magalhães Lemos Hospital in 2017 and completed his speciality in 2022. He currently works at the Cedofeita Treatment Unit, Drug Addiction area, and in private practice, working in three cities (Porto, Aveiro and Coimbra) and online. Strong interest in neurodivergence, both personally and professionally. Almeida advocates a neuro-affirmative approach, focussed on user empowerment, psychoeducation, empathy and knowledge sharing.

Rita Serra, PhD. Autistic with a neurodivergent family. Researcher at the Centre for Social Studies at the University of Coimbra and member of APVA - Associação Portuguesa Voz do Autista. She led the AUTICORPOS project - Giving body to mental health in autism, co-funded by INR, I.P., which consisted of participatory research with adult autistic people and allied professionals about their experiences in accessing mental health.

Sara Rocha, autistic woman with multiple disabilities. Data Manager at the School of Clinical Medicine, University of Cambridge. President of the Portuguese Association Voz do Autista, Vice-President of the European Council of Autistic People and Vice-chair of the Women's Committee of the European Disability Forum. She has participated in various European and international projects and in the development of European social policies on disability.

Programme

2 April 2024, 11h00-13h00: Welcoming autism
_{Link for Zoom session > https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81725405635 | ID: 817 2540 5635 | Password: 194292}

Milton, D. (2016). Tracing the influence of Fernand Deligny on autism studies. Disability & Society, 31(2), 285-289.

Baggs, M. (2020). Losing. Autistic community and the neurodiversity movement: Stories from the frontline, 77-86.

Special Guest: João Arriscado Nunes (researcher at the Centre for Social Studies of the University of Coimbra)

3 June 11h00-13h00: Ways of being autistic
_{Link for Zoom session > https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81725405635 | ID: 817 2540 5635 | Password: 194292}

Lilley, R., Lawson, W., Hall, G., Mahony, J., Clapham, H., Heyworth, M., ... & Pellicano, E. (2022). ‘A way to be me’: Autobiographical reflections of autistic adults diagnosed in mid-to-late adulthood. Autism, 26(6), 1395-1408.

Gowen E, Earley L, Waheed A, Poliakoff E. (2023) From "one big clumsy mess" to "a fundamental part of my character." Autistic adults' experiences of motor coordination. PLoS One. 18(6):e0286753.

2 de agosto 11h00-13h00: Autism and stigma
_{Link for Zoom session> https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81725405635 | ID: 817 2540 5635 | Password: 194292}

Erving Goffman (1963). Stigma: Notes on the Management of Spoiled Identity. Touchstone.

Botha, M., Dibb, B., & Frost, D. M. (2022). "Autism is me": an investigation of how autistic individuals make sense of autism and stigma. Disability & Society, 37(3), 427-453. 

2 October 11h00-13h00: Masking vs unmasking
_{Link for Zoom session > https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81725405635 | ID: 817 2540 5635 | Password: 194292}

Evans, J. A., Krumrei-Mancuso, E. J., & Rouse, S. V. (2023). What You Are Hiding Could Be Hurting You: Autistic Masking in Relation to Mental Health, Interpersonal Trauma, Authenticity, and Self-Esteem. Autism in Adulthood.

Belek, B. (2023). ‘A Smaller Mask’: Freedom and Authenticity in Autistic Space. Culture, Medicine, and Psychiatry, 47(3), 626-646.

2 December 11h00-13h00: Health and flourish
_{Link for Zoom session > https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81725405635 | ID: 817 2540 5635 | Password: 194292}

Serra, Rita; Rocha, Sara; Oliveira, Carla; Almeida, Pedro; Benedetto, Mayne; Pellicano, Elizabeth (2023), Saúde mental de pessoas autistas em Portugal: experiências e recomendações de autistas adultos e profissionais aliados. Coimbra: Centro de Estudos Sociais da Universidade de Coimbra.

Neurodiverse connection. A holistic neurodivergent friendly wellbeing curriculum and training programme train the trainer.