L’autismo come oggetto culturale: i Critical Autism Studies
Enrico Valtellina
Hype is what discourse proliferates upon, appearing at a given moment in the centre of public attention. It’s certainly proper to talk about hype regarding autism, since a once rare diagnosis has become the most controversial issue in the world of disability in just a few decades. Autism is not simply a diagnosis, but a horizon of meaning that largely transcends the medical discourse that has generated it, it is a cultural object which is gradually expanding. This article deals with the work of authors who have developed a wider contextualisation of autism, giving rise to the specific field of Disability Studies called Critical Autism Studies. By analysing texts by authors like Ian Hacking, Majia Holmer Nadesan, Roy Grinker, Gil Eyal and Francisco Ortega, a set of themes and perspectives emerges, which are useful for thinking about autism and its cultural and social relevance.
