Doing things together: Exploring meanings of different forms of sociality among autistic people in an autistic work space

Abstract

This paper explores different meanings of being social among autistic people who are employed at an autistic-separate workplace in Sweden. The analyses in this paper are based on data from fieldwork at an autistic workspace consisting of autistic people working with peer support directed at young autistic adults in Sweden. Two different forms of sociality, which take place in two different social environments, are highlighted: environments dominated by non-autistic people and those dominated by autistic people. Interest-based sociality includes the importance of having interest-based exchanges with one another, and having common interests and communication based on genuine interest in the topic being discussed. Socially based sociality is, rather, based on social group identification. The first is the dominant form of sociality among the participants, which they connect with being in an autistic space. The second may be viewed as a counter-dominant form of sociality among the participants, which they connect with being in spaces dominated by non-autistic people.