ABSTRACT
Autism research is a dynamic and broad field covering many disciplines. However, the Autistic voice is not always present in Autism research, notably empirical Autism research, in spite of its necessity for epistemological validity (Woods, Milton, Arnold & Graby, 2018). In this chapter, we will examine Arnstein’s (1969) Ladder of Citizen Participation (from hereon in, we will refer to this as ‘the ladder’) as a model for good practice for inclusive Autism research due to its prospective beneficial impact; evaluate the scope of current Autism scholarship in regard to ‘the ladder’ and the potential impact on Autistic people; explain how such an approach is compatible with taking an intersectional approach and why the voices of marginalised Autistics are important; explore benefits and limitations of encouraging active citizenship in Autism research and the practical aspects researchers may need to undertake; and give a short checklist at the end of the chapter for researchers to consider if they wish to undertake this.
Keywords: citizen participation, Autism research
