Ativismo autista no Brasil: as redes sociais digitais como ferramentas para o reconhecimento

Abstract

The present dissertation focuses on the theme of political activism developed by autistic people in Brazil, through digital social networks. The hypothesis tested was that such activism can be explained as a struggle for recognition, according to the theory developed by Axel Honneth. The topic of autism and the existing disputes around its status are discussed; the definition of activism; the specifics of digital activism; and the claims of the theory of recognition, as well as its correlation with the theme of democracy. The methodology used consisted of analyzing Facebook pages dedicated to autistic activism, using Laurence Bardin's Content Analysis methods. The result of the analysis indicated the relevance of the theory of recognition as an explanatory key for autistic activism. In a complementary way, we highlight in the characterization of this activism the existence of an educational dimension, synthesized in what we call a bet on transformation through awareness.