Reading case studies of people with autistic spectrum disorders: a cultural studies approach to issues of disability representation

Autistic spectrum disorders have been described, defined and differentiated from other neurological conditions primarily on the basis of case studies. A small group of highly influential case studies forms a core narrative of autism, which is challenged by other narratives. In this research, analytical techniques from cultural studies are used to uncover the social construction of autism through the production and interpretation of these narratives. The location of power within these narratives is explored through uncovering voice, the use of fictive techniques, intertextuality and other aspects of the texts studied.

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