What is Autoethnography?

This is succinctly defined by a post on the Difference Between;

“Autoethnography refers to writing about one’s own ethnic background, culture, and personal experiences in a cultural setting. It is categorized as an academic text as it includes a method and is a record of places and people. Whereas, autobiography is less encumbered by method and is more freestyle, a creative, non-academic form of self-expression. It is the subject’s presentation of their life story told with no ulterior aims other than to share their experiences and insights. ” stated by Ewan D (2022).

Now consider an article written by me (not about me or my family) for my taught thesis phase of the Educational Doctorate (this was a pass in a pass or fail grading system). I have attempted to publish this to no avail so thought I would share it on my blog.

Abstract

To understand ourselves we need to understand the world we create and live in autoethnography may help us to do this.

This paper will consider the genre of autoethnography and its background in addition to its growth as a discipline. The paper will then use a cultural context to do this via the perspectives of a personal family situation with the author of the paper being the focus of the autoethnographic study. This perspective will be through the lens of the neurodivergent condition of autism spectrum condition, its complexities and co-occurring differences.

The paper will conclude with the reflexivity of the genre and the implications for further research.     

Keywords: autoethnography, genre, autism, reflexivity, criticality

Introduction

Firstly, this paper on perspectives will consider autoethnographic genres’ epistemology and ontology, to understand the same whilst studying a female student with Autism Spectrum Condition (ASC). The characteristics of ASC are considered neurodivergent (Bölte and Mahdi 2017), having typical traits that are displayed differently in females making diagnosis difficult and later in life, compared to males (Milner et al 2019:2389).

Secondly, the perspectives of autism’s ontologies will be considered, investigating how and why it exists and who determines its existence (Mugzach et al 2015:333). Also, the epistemology of autism, historically and presently, as understood from different viewpoints of scientific knowledge, the knowledge possessed by autistics and that of non-autistic subjects (Ganaie and Bashir 2014:42), given the status of ASC as considered a disability (Woods 2017). Plus, the gender difference in more recent diagnoses for women (Milner et al 2019:2390).

Next, I will write situated in the genre of autoethnography, within a critical-ideological paradigm (Mcllven 2008:4), and phenomenologically (Ward and Webster 2018), as a self-diagnosed female ASC student (Milner et al 2019:2400). Acknowledging that prior research has been of a scientific, positivists objective nature from a non-autistic male-orientated perspective (Ratto et al 2018:1698). As well as, the imbalance of the social and medical models of disability of ASC (Woods 2017:1091).

To conclude I will use reflexivity (Dean 2017:121) to consider the autoethnography genre and its implications for research and how this has supported me and my understanding.

So, to define the autoethnographic epistemology and ontology, Bochner and Ellis (2016:66) suggest that it falls outside of a definitive clarification. Hence, disseminating the meaning of the word will support understanding, ‘autos’ meaning self, ‘ethno’, meaning a nation, people or culture and ‘graphy’ means writings, so writing about yourself and your people or culture (Ellis et al 2011:273, Adams et al 2017:1).

The epistemology of the genre suggested by Bocher and Ellis (2006:111) “Autoethnography depicts people struggling to overcome adversity-you know going through bad times. In life we often make choices in difficult and uncertain situations”. Therefore, epistemology is an expression of the researcher’s knowledge through narrative, in written form, to share with others (Adams et al 2017:2). Hence, communicating your phenomenology, writing in the first person, through storytelling using your experience whilst conducting your reflexivity (Ellis et al 2011:275, Dean 2017:1), with the researcher as the subject. In this instance, the perspective will be a subjective, critical-ideological paradigm (Mcllven 2008:4) to understand my world and my place in it (Adams et al 2017:1, McIlveen 2008:3) with a disability

Next, the ontology of autoethnography is a “personal reality” (Mcilveen 2008:3) as reflexivity (Dean 2017:113) and can be on many aspects of the researcher’s life, but typically outside of structural accepted norms (Ellis et al 2011:280, Adams et al 2017:1), which can add to the engagement and interest of readers. Hence, it can be evocative to stir deep emotional responses, which can give a voice to those that are marginalised and unheard (Buchner and Ellis 2016:60, Gannon 2017:3).

Therefore, autoethnography is discernible by the explicit self-reference stance of writing, (Gannon 2017:4). Consequentially it will be the researcher, as the subjective participant and observer, who may ignore the context producing a written text that refers only to the researcher (Ellis et al 2011:275). To attempt to subvert this there are different ways of conceptualising autoethnography, such as an ethnographer writing autobiographically, or an ethnographic subject writing ethnographically about their “personal reality” (Ellis et al 2011:275, McIlveen 2008:3). 

I will consider my “personal reality” as an ASC student and researcher with an evocative lens conducting autoethnography, as suggested by Bochner and Ellis (2016:10). There are other typologies in the genre being analytical (Anderson 2006:388), a more positive stance, in addition to critical, queer and performance (Adams et al 2017:4, Bocher and Ellis 2016:59, Spry 1999:708).

Historically autoethnography stems from the fields of anthropology and ethnology with the method of ethnography (Hayano 1970:99), so a combination. Its nature does have its criticisms (Gannon 2017:1), as a process and a product not concerning itself with a paradigm (Hayno 1979:101) and consequently no defined research methodology or method (Ellis, et al 201, Adams, and 2017:282). Consequently, it may not be validated or substantiated and could be unreliable or biased. Plus, not replicable, because the researcher is the subject, so questions of fallibility arise, in normal conventions (Allen-Collinson and Hockey 2008:215, Holt 2003:19). This also causes a subjective/objective dilemma to arise (Hayano 1979:102). In answer to this critique, a different set of validity criteria emerge, such as verisimilitude (Ellis et al 2011:282). In addition, criteria such as credibility, transferability, dependability, and confirmability to authenticate this type of narrative study could be considered (Allen-Collinson and Hockney 2008:216, Hayano 1979:99).

This leads to the inception of autoethnography by Hayano (1979:99) who suggests that,

“While auto-ethnography is not a specific research technique, method, or theory, it colours all three as they are employed in fieldwork. In many ways, the problems of auto-ethnography are the problems of ethnography compounded by the researcher’s involvement and intimacy with his subjects. In either case, critical issues of observation, epistemology, and ‘objective’ ‘ scientific research procedures are raised”

The original fields were “learned, acquired, evolved and changed” (Bawarshi and Reiff 2010:107) and over time autoethnography drew from their “features, substance and characteristics” (Swales 2004:20). Furthermore, researchers became inextricably entwined in the societies and cultures they were studying and thus became part of the study themselves (Holts 2003:4). Hence, this genre uses some methodologies of qualitative research and methods of ethnography (Ellis et al 2011), but as discussed by Holts (2003) is problematic and has been criticised as not rigorous enough, as a research paradigm.

Now, I will now consider ASC ontology and epistemology linking this to the ontology and epistemology of autoethnography already discussed, to research my “personal reality” as a female ASC student. The ontology of ASC under the medical model (Woods 2017), classifies it as difficulties with social communication and social interaction; restricted and repetitive patterns in behaviours, interests, and activities (Hollin et al 2017:209, APA 2021). However, this is as individual as the person being diagnosed, male or female, hence the term ‘spectrum’ because of the heterogeneity of the symptoms and levels of severity ASC (APA 2021). There, are many forms of diagnosis and tests, plus more recently the phenomenology of those with ASC (Bölte and Mahdi 2017:1), under the social model of disability (Woods 2017). Hence, clarifying that I can consider my thoughts, feelings and perspective on the world as a minority (Hendrix and Gould 2015:26), compared to males with ASC and the majority of non-autistic neurotypical students’.   

The epistemology of ASC is from a mainly male and objective viewpoint (Bölte 2011:497). Consequently, not necessarily that of my experience as a female with ASC (Millner 2019:2389). As for the genre of autoethnography, being both process and product (Ellis et al 2011:273) allows me to be the researcher and participant giving my viewpoint and knowledge. Hence, investigating its existence, as a ‘spectrum’ (Mugzach et al 2015:333), and the dynamic epistemology understood from different viewpoints of scientific knowledge, the knowledge possessed by females with ASC and late diagnosis (Gould and Hendrickx 2015:44, Milner et al 2019:2390) and that of non-autistic subjects (Ganaie and Bashir 2014:42) with the dichotomy of the social and medical models of disability (Woods 2017:1091).

Moving on, my autoethnographic phenomenology with ASC (Ward and Webster 2018), as a mature female student being self-diagnosed (Milner et al 2019:2390), due to the stigma of the medical model as opposed to the social model of disability (Woods 2017). I will consider the first 10 years from the point of entry into academia for this essay. Starting with a little background on why I found myself accessing academic study, as a mature student; where I am now and finishing with where next. Whilst, acknowledging that prior research has been scientific (Ratto et al 2018:1698), before the recent realisation of the female traits in ASC (Bölte et al 2011:498, Gould and Hendrickx 2015:44, Millner et al 2019:2389).

To start a little background at the point of entry into academic study. My understanding of autism started because I have an autistic son diagnosed with Asperger’s syndrome (Bölte et al 2011:497) diagnosed under the medical model of disability (Woods 2017). This completely changed my life, it took over my life with the struggles that ensued for him, me and my family. I became “challenged and changed” (Wayment et al 2019:607), but did not allow this to consume me because I still worked, ran my home, supported my other two sons, and stayed married and solvent. This continued for many years, until my son, with Asperger’s, left sixth form after much intervention and support (Wayment et al 2019:612) when all seemed well as he went to university.

As he seemed settled and had achieved his goal, I now wanted to achieve mine by returning to study. In supporting my son, I realised I had been studying autism (Ganaie and Bashir 2014:42) so, armed with this knowledge and that gained from working in local government, I thought I would undertake a degree. Added to this was being told I could not have a promotion because I did have a degree which motivated me. How dare they say that they did not know who I was and what I had been through! At this point, I was extremely annoyed and upset, which made me even more determined (Milner et al 2019). I did not understand myself (Millner et al 2011:2390), as I had been too wrapped up in my son’s life and his support requirements, attending many groups and assessments (Wayment et al 2019:614).

Moving on, I started my full-time degree and found that as before I could still undertake my job and juggle everyone else, as well as my son at university and his support requirements (Wayment et al 2019). Whilst, I also undertook extreme amounts of exercise and fitness as a coping strategy (Gould and Hendrickx 2015:68). I did start to wonder if I was different, although I had my suspicions before this (Milner et al 2011:2390), because colleagues’, friends and relatives started to ask if I was taking on too much, plus physical manifestations associated with stress started to appear (Millen et al 2019:2390).  

However, I ignored everything and before long I was in my last year and on track for a first in my degree. It had been an intense three years, but I managed. However, at the same time my son, with Asperger’s, had started to suffer severe mental health issues (Ganaie and Bashir 2014:43), which ended catastrophically. Belligerently, I carried on and resolved the situation clinically, as I normally did and achieved my first-class degree. Also, by this time, I had started to reflect on my ambivalence and ability to categorise my emotional responses or lack of them (Milner et al 2019:2390). I was already aware, due to my study of ASC, that it is a genetic neurological Condition (Bölte et al 2011:500), so my son may have inherited this from me.

I continued to immerse myself in my studies. Before I completed my degree, I had already signed up for Professional Graduate Certificate in Education, then my Qualified Teacher Learning and Skills before embarking on my Masters in Education (MA Ed). Then my Educational Doctorate (Ed D) all whilst working, as most people do, but possibly not with the conditions I had endured (Wayment et al 2019).

Whilst, undertaking my MA Ed a lecturer suggested for me to obtain an assessment, because of the different skill set I possessed, outside the norm. However, by then I had already concluded for myself, that I was, in fact, autistic (Milner et al 2019:2400) and I had always been. Plus, as more recently acknowledged, I do mask or camouflage (Gould and Hendrickx 2015:33) or as I put it morph. I did not obtain a diagnosis because I was aware of the stigma of the medical model, so I was satisfied with the social model and adaptations I made. This result is ten years on and where I am now undertaking my Ed D.

To conclude I will use reflexivity (Dean 2017:121) to consider the autoethnographic (Ellis et al 2011) genre and its implications for my research, into ASC student females, and how this has supported my understanding.

Considering all the aspects and factors involved in an autoethnographic genre, this has been an illuminating and interesting personal experience to undertake. I can also see that the genre’s ontology being “personal reality” (Mcllven 2008:3) with an epistemology of phenomenology (Mcllven2008:3) must align with the research undertaken. This was my “personal reality” of the undiagnosed condition of ASC as a female student and my phenomenology, with the dichotomy of the social and medical model of disability preventing me from seeking a formal diagnosis (ward and webster 2018).

I have discovered that its paradigm, as an evocative personal narrative (Ellis et al 2011), does not necessarily suit the traditional methodologies and methods which may affect the validity, because it is a process as a product with a competing objective subjective dilemma of the researcher (Hayano 1979:99). However, in this case, the narrative helped me explore my phenomenology as a self-diagnosed ASC female student, so I extensively referenced to give verisimilitude and confirmability attempting to overcome aspects of validity (Ellis et al 2011, Allen-Collinson and Hockney 2008).

References (Constructed with Mendeley reference manager)

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