Event overview
Stigma management strategies of autistic social media users
Autism is now commonly conceptualized as a form of neurodivergence, that is “different, not less” (Fletcher-Watson and Happé, 2019: 23). The neurodiversity movement has brought about new ethical and theoretical debates by conceptualising autistic people as a minority group affected by a stigmatised social status. This presentation considers how applied linguistics can have a proactive engagement with these debates by contributing to the understanding of stigma management on social media.
Drawing on social identity theory this seminar will distinguish between individual (concealing minority group characteristics) and collective (positively redeveloping the in-group) stigma management strategies. A presentation of some of the results of the project (https://autisticadultsonline.com) which focuses on the methodological advantages and pitfalls of identifying stigma management strategies through a corpus-assisted discourse analysis of Twitter and Facebook posts, and semi-structured interviews with users.
The seminar, led by Professor Nelya Koteyko, will explore the appreciation for the agency and creativity of autistic people; and shows how social stress and past negative experiences of ‘offline’ social interactions continue to shape autistic users’ linguistic choices on social media. Open to staff, students and the public.
Please book a place through the Eventbrite link.
PLEASE NOTE: previously advertised for 14 Dec 2022, the date of this event has changed to 18 Jan 2023 at 12:00 (GMT)
Dates & times
| Date | Time | Add to calendar |
|---|---|---|
| 18 Jan 2023 | 12:00pm - 1:00pm |
Accessibility
If you are attending an event and need the College to help with any mobility requirements you may have, please contact the event organiser in advance to ensure we can accommodate your needs.
