Critical Autism and Disabilities Studies

CADS explores Disability from a Social Model perspective encompassing ‘nothing about us without us’ which involves working ethically and fairly with disabled researchers.

CADS research is participatory and aspires to being emancipatory. The 2021 REF Impact Case Study illustrates the importance placed on usefulness of research outputs. CADS is committed to ensuring a research-informed approach to student experience and curriculum. This is particularly relevant to LSBU’s MA Education /Autism /SEND and teacher education and CPD.

The multi-disciplinary inclusive group includes disabled and non-disabled researchers, allies, students, academics and practitioners from within and beyond LSBU. CADS includes a number of high profile Visiting Professors and Fellows and a Writer in Residence.

The group holds events throughout the year, including an international conference in collaboration with The Participatory Autism Research Collective (PARC), which began within CADS and has now extended its reach internationally, Autism Voice and Employment Autism.

PARC provides opportunities for autistic researchers to collaborate, develop and contribute to autism research. Current funded projects focus on autistic adults who have additional intellectual impairments, access to health checks, disability and loneliness and developing research-informed CPD.

Current LSBU Staff Members, students and alumni include:

Prof Nicola Martin
Sophie Mackay
Dr Janice Brown
Prof Shaminder Takhar
Prof Eddie Chaplin
Prof Sally Inman
Prof Deborah Johnston
Zoë Leadley-Meade
Prof Steve Lerman
Dr Calvin Moorley
Dr Martha Shaw
Dr James Smith-Spark
Simon Wickenden
Sandie Woods
Rachael Bond
Francesca Arocas
Dr Sally Brett
Dr Nick Chown
Sarah Hodgson-Jones
Sarah Jackson-Stevens
Mariama Korrca Kandeh
Joanna Krupa
Justyn Mackay
Dr Mickey Mayhew
Dr Damian Milton
Dr Paula Sanchez
Fumi St Marthe
Jonathan Thompson
Richard Woods
Dr Sebastian Shaw
Dr Mary Doherty
Danny Clegg
Denise Schuberg
Dr Ayfer Kahraman
Dr Mike Wray
Dr Cherry Cheung
Sharron Sturgess
Dr Iliyan Stefanov

CADS also have external members not included in this members list.

If you are interested in being a member of CADS, please email krupaj2@lsbu.ac.uk

CADS have regular events, including seminars, conferences and monthly online meetings throughout the year.

Our most recent event on 7^th May 2024 was the Second LSBU Annual Disability Lecture: 'Justice for LB', a provocation around the human rights and dignities of people with learning disabilities.

A picture of Connor Sparrowhawk, also known as 'Laughing Boy', and 4 smaller picture of speakers at the event: Prof Sara Ryan, Stephen Unwin, Rosemarie Garland-Thomson and Peter Cronin

Past events include:

24^th April 2018 - Autism in the BAME Community Symposium (collaboration Autism Voice)
24^th May 2018 - PARC workshop
18^th July 2018 – PARC-Critical Autism Studies Conference
2nd April 2019 - Autism and media seminar (collaboration with PARC)
23rd April 2019 - Autism in the BAME Community Symposium (collaboration with Autism Voice)
21st May 2019 - Presenting at Conferences skills development (collaboration with PARC)
4th June 2019 - Third Critical Autism Studies Conference
29^th October 2020 - Peter & Friends talk about Covid-19 and having a Learning Disability – online event
24th Feb 2021 - Lorna Wing Project conference – online event
8th June 2021 - Fourth CADS conference – online event
17th October 2021 - Fourth Annual Critical Autism Studies Conference
16th October 2021 - PARC workshop
7th December 2021 - PARC Critical Autism Studies Winter Workshop
30th June 2022 - First LSBU Annual Disability Lecture: Stephen Unwin on 'Need not diagnosis'
25^th July 2022 – Autism and Employment Conference: Identifying and removing barriers (collaboration with Employment Autism)
21^st June 2023 – Autism and Employment Conference: Transitions (collaboration with Employment Autism; full playlist now available on YouTube)
27^thSeptember 2023 - Neurodiversity in the BAME Community conference (collaboration with Autism Voice; video recording available here soon)

CADS is involved in a number of research projects, national and international collaborations, including:

The Participatory Autism Research Collective (PARC). PARC began at LSBU and now is recognised internationally with events held across the UK and links in America, Europe, Australia. This can be explored in detail through the official PARC website.
Members have provided advice to: The National Association of Disability Practitioners, Westminster Autism Commission, charities such as Autism Voice and local authorities around the COVID-19 pandemic’s impact on autistic people.
CADS has been delivering a successful series of research labs to promote researcher development since 2019.
Funders of research projects include the Society for Research in Higher Education, the John and Lorna Wing Foundation, local authorities, NHS England, National Association of Disability Practitioners and the Cabinet Office.
Autistic Doctors International (ADI). ADI represents a group of over 800 autistic medical doctors with a shared belief that autistic doctors bring a variety of strengths to healthcare, including an array of benefits for autistic patients. Publication list: https://linktr.ee/autisticdoctors
'Psychological' profile of an academic year project (Dr Iliyan Stefanov): https://www.amosshe.org.uk/insight-2013-14-psychological-profile
Disabled Student Commitment - Adjustments Passport Pilot Research Report (PDF File 877 KB)

Some of the noteworthy publications of this research forum includes:

Benoist, F (2019) Student Experience of Accessing Support at University. Journal of Inclusive Practice in Further and Higher Education. 11.1
Fennessy, Jenny et al. Conference Report: Carnival of Invention. Forum Qualitative Sozialforschung / Forum: Qualitative Social Research, [S.l.], v. 20, n. 2, May 2019.
Garau, V., Murray, A. L., Woods, R., Chown, N., Hallett, S., Murray, F., Fletcher-Watson, S. (2023) Development and Validation of a Novel Self-Report Measure of Monotropism in Autistic and Non-Autistic People: The Monotropism Questionnaire. https://doi.org/10.31219/osf.io/ft73y
Hodge, N., Douglas, P., Kruth, M., Martin, N., Gowler, K., Smith, C., Sanchez P. and Connol, S. (2021) 'Contemplating educator talk though a Critical Autism Studies lens', in: Milton, D. and Ryan, S. (eds.) Handbook of Critical Autism Studies. London: Routledge (in press)
Johnson, H. et al. (2019) Collaborative Poetics Resource Pack. England: Independent Publishing Network
Leadley-Meade, Z. and Goodwin, R. (2019) Pre-entry self-assessment and mapping to relevant services as a means of developing learner autonomy in undergraduates. Journal of Inclusive Practice in Further and Higher Education. 11.1
Kandeh, M., Kandeh, S., Korrca, M., Martin, N. and Krupa, J. (2020) 'Autism in Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic Communities: A report on The First Autism Voice UK Symposium', Advances in Autism, 6 (2), pp.165-175.
Martin, N., Milton, D., Krupa, J., Brett, S., Bulman, K., Callow, D., Copeland, F., Cunningham, L., Ellis, W., Harvey, T. and Moranska, M. (2019). 'The sensory school: working with teachers, parents and pupils to create good sensory conditions', Advances in Autism, 5 (2), pp.131-140.
Martin, N., Wray, M., James, A., Draffan, E.A., Krupa, J. and Turner, P.(2019) Implementing Inclusive Teaching and Learning in UK Higher Education – Utilising Universal Design for Learning (UDL) as a Route to Excellence. Project report: Society for Research into Higher Education
Martin, N. (2019) 'Pastoral care and intellectual disability. A person-centred approach', Disability and Society, 34 (3), pp. 508-509.
Martin. N. (2020) Perspectives on UK university employment from autistic researchers and lecturers. Disability and Society, 36(9), pp. 1510-1531.
Martin, N. (2020) University through the eyes of autistic students and staff. In: Milton, D. (Ed) The Neurodiversity Reader: Exploring Concepts, Lived Experience and Implications for Practice. Hove: Pavilion.
Martin, N. (2020). A Practical Response to Ableism in Leadership in UK Higher Education. in: Brown, N. (Ed) Ableism in Academia, UCL Press.
Martin, N. (2020). Practical Scholarship: Optimising Beneficial Research Collaborations Between Autistic Scholars, Professional Services Staff and ‘Typical Academics’ in UK Universities. In: Rosqvist, H., Chown, N. and Stenning, A. (Eds) Neurodiversity Studies: A New Critical Paradigm. Abingdon: Routledge.
Martin, N; Peacock, B(2020)Continuing the education of autistic pupils while focusing on family wellbeing during the Coronavirus Pandemic. Good Autism Practice (GAP), Volume 21, Number 2, October 2020, pp. 5-10(6).
Martin, N. and Cannon, H. (2020) Studying during the COVID-19 (Coronavirus) pandemic: suggestions for autistic university students. Journal of Inclusive Practice in Higher Education (JIPFHE). 11.2
Martin, N. (2021) University Design for Learning (UDL) in Higher Education: A UK, USA Comparison. Journal of Inclusive Practice in Further and Higher Education. Issue 13.1. pp 20-49
Milton, D. and Martin, N. (2019). First and Second special editions on autism and education (eds). Advances in Autism
Milton, DEM and Martin, N (2019) Guest editorial. Advances in Autism, 4. 153-154.
Milton, D and Ridout, S and Kourti, M and Loomes, G and Martin, N (2019) A critical reflection on the development of the Participatory Autism Research Collective (PARC). Tizard Learning Disability Review,
Sturgess, S & Banks, Z. (2021) “More More – continue to run this!” Reflections on an online social group for autistic students: a pilot as a response to the social restrictions of Covid-19. Journal of Inclusive Practice in Further and Higher Education. Issue 13.1. pp 90- 103.
Sturgess, S. (2020) The development of good practice principles for supporting students with autism to work with their peers, The Ahead E-Journal, 11 (3), pp. 1-6. https://www.ahead.ie/journal/The-development-of-good-practice-principles-for-supporting-students-with-autism-to-work-with-their-peers
Woods, R. (2017) Pathological demand avoidance: my thoughts on looping effects and commodification of autism, Disability & Society, 32(5), pp 753-758, DOI: 10.1080/09687599.2017.1308705
Woods, R. (2017) Exploring how the social model of disability can be re-invigorated for autism: in response to Jonathan Levitt, Disability & Society, 32(7), pp 1090-1095, DOI: 10.1080/09687599.2017.1328157
Woods, R., Milton, D., Arnold, L. & Graby, S. (2018) Redefining Critical Autism Studies: a more inclusive interpretation, Disability & Society, 33(6), pp 974-979, DOI: 10.1080/09687599.2018.1454380
Woods, R., Williams, K. and Watts, C. (2023), “Profound autism”: The dire consequences of diagnostic overshadowing. Autism Research, 16, pp 1656-1657. https://doi.org/10.1002/aur.2985
Wray, M. and Houghton, A.M., 2019. Implementing disability policy in teaching and learning contexts–shop floor constructivism or street level bureaucracy? Teaching in Higher Education, 24(4), pp.510-526.
Wray, M., 2021. Additional support services and the utilisation of teaching assistants in university settings: dissuading inclusive practice or improving academic outcomes? Support for Learning, 36(1), pp.102-115.
Wilson, L., Martin, N. Conway, J. and Turner, P. (2020) The Wellbeing of Disability Professionals in the Further and Higher Education Institution Workplace. NADP report.

LSBU staff that are members of this forum are happy to supervise projects in relevant areas of research. If you are interested in applying for a masters or doctoral degree at LSBU on this theme, get in touch with the following academics listed below:

MA Education /Autism/ SEND - Sophie Mackay: mackays@lsbu.ac.uk

EdD Inclusive Education and Social Justice - Dr Martha Shaw: shawm7@lsbu.ac.uk

MRes and PhD - Dr Sam Johnson-Schlee johnss32@lsbu.ac.uk

CADS "Autism and Employment: Transitions" - June 2023

Following on from the collaboration with Employment Autism to bring you the 2022 Autism and Employment Conference: Identifying and Removing Barriers, CADS Research Group at LSBU, in collaboration with Employment Autism, return with our 2023 Autism and Employment Conference: Transitions", due to popular demand!

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