What is Autistic PhD?
Autistic PhD publicly launched in May 2023. It is organized as a subsidiary of Erika Sanborne Media LLC, based in Minnesota, US. This site exists to provide neurodiversity-affirming, shareable articles about autistic experience, accessibility, and related topics.
The project grew out of repeated questions that kept coming up in classrooms, emails, and conversations. Rather than answer them one by one, we started writing them down. This site makes those answers easier to find, easier to share, and easier to build on.
Most articles are written by Erika Sanborne, an autistic educator and researcher. Additional contributors are already part of the project, with more in progress. There have been planning sessions; the writing of other autistic scholars is forthcoming.
We also offer some limited consulting times. If you are looking for focused support, you can schedule a chat. We can cover a fair amount in a 30-minute or 90-minute session.
Why This Site Exists
Autistic PhD was created to offer explanations that are trustworthy, honest, grounded in the scientific literature, and still readable. Many autistic people say they see aspects of their own lived experience in what they find here. Others visit because someone they care about sent them a link.
Readers value finding explanations for some of their struggles and experiences, and solidarity with some of the strategies. Because the narrative writing style on the site explains concepts through shared stories, neurodivergent people often find the content relatable.
Who This Is For
This site it for:
- Autistic adults
- Graduate students trying to get through school
- Parents of autistic children
- Educators working to improve accessibility
- Mentors, supervisors, and therapists seeking better tools
Some readers come from academic or clinical backgrounds. Others do not. What they have in common is an interest in writing that connects neurodiversity and disability concepts with the narratives of lived experience. We come to know one another through our stories, and value authenticity.
What You’ll Find
All content on this site is open access, free to read and share. There are no paywalls, and no gated sections. That is intentional. We value providing these public resources.
We write articles that explain specific terms and concepts, experiences and sometimes strategies. We do not publish pop summaries or clickbait. Each article is planned with care and intended to be broadly useful, something readers can return to and share in their work, studies, or support relationships.
If you’re new, you might start with these:
- What is bottom-up thinking in Autism?
- Dear Students, Grades are Points on a Rubric, Nothing More
- Reflecting on being Married to a Disabled Autistic Person Today
We have much here already, with a lot more to come. Browse the articles. We are so glad you’re here.
