Focused Interests, Identity, Autistic Communication Across Contexts

Workshop Aims and Scope

This workshop explores how autistic people engage with and express focused interests across diverse communicative settings. Previously framed narrowly as “special interests,” these intense areas of engagement are central to autistic sense-making, self-expression, and social interaction. Bringing together discourse, narrative, and interactional approaches, the sessions will examine how focused interests shape the stories autistic individuals tell, the way knowledge is shared, and connections are formed— both online and offline. We will consider how these interests are linguistically constructed, socially received, and differently valued, and ask what it would mean to centre focused interests as a strength rather than a symptom.

Logistics

Thursday 8th January will be fully online. Friday 9th January will be hybrid (both online and in person at Queen Mary University of London). The location for Friday will be BLOC cinema, on Mile End Road campus at Queen Mary University of London. You can attend just one of these days, both of these days, or just turn up for a couple of talks.

The workshop will be free to attend. It is organised by Nelya Koteyko and Jessica Aiston (Queen Mary University of London) and funded by the Wellcome Trust.

Schedule

The full schedule is TBC, but the workshop will feature keynotes from Peter Wharmby (autistic advocate and author of What I Want To Talk About) and Professor Rebecca Wood (University of Glasgow). Dr Gray Atherton and Dr Liam Cross (Plymouth) will also hold an interactive session on Friday afternoon about designing boardgames.

We will also hear from: Daniel Gill (QMUL), Agnieszka Sowinska and Magdalena Cyrklaff-Gorczyca (Nicolas Copernicus), Rita Serra (Coimbra), Elliot Wassell (Birmingham), Shaimaa El Naggar (Fayoum), Jago Williams, Alan Wallington and Charlie Cross (Bangor), Thea Groenhaug (Carleton), Raya al Risi (Oman College of Health Sciences) and Zahra Al Jordani (Sohar), Xinyun He (KCL), Maya Albin (McMasters), Laura Fox and Kathryn Aylesbury (York).

Topics will include the role of interests as they relate to language learning, tabletop roleplaying, science communication, joy, affiliation, social media use, speech therapy, parenting, and more!

Code of Conduct

We welcome all forms of communication, including but not limited to AAC, direct language, low eye contact, stimming, and echolalia. We ask that everybody be respectful of different communication, information processing, and sensory needs. Please do not wear strong perfume if you plan to attend in person.

Language

This workshop takes an explictly neurodiversity-affirming approach to autism. This means we see autism as one neurotype among many, not as a disorder in need of a cure. We recognise that terminology is continually evolving and people may have different preferences regarding language. In line with UK community preferences, we ask that everyone attending the workshop:

• Use identity-first language, i.e., autistic people rather than people with autism (unless, of course, this is the stated preference of the individual in question).
• Describe autistic interests as being intense, focused, passionate, specific, and not restricted, fixated, obsessive, circumscribed etc.
• Talk about differences or areas where people need support, rather than deficits, impairments, or disordered behaviours.

Please see this guidance from the National Autistic Society for more information.