4/8/2023 0 Comments Weeping woods anomaly![]() ![]() Much of the dominant academic and popular discourse surrounding atypicality focusses on either a medical or social model of disability. Using a range of creative interactive methodologies, I collaboratively explored what is understood and misunderstood around each of these stages or phenomena from the perspective of those defined as atypical. While there is much contestation over the homogenisation of ‘neurodiverse’ brains (Ortega 2009), the lived experience of atypical children that I observed during my research had a high degree of consistency. Using the philosophy and methodology of phenomenology, I developed a model that illustrates a cycle of atypical embodied engagement with the world, spanning stages or phenomena of Presence, Perception, Control, Participation, Flow, Communication and Adaptability. A final level of insight was gained from ‘deep hanging out’ amongst atypical adults in online ‘bio’ social media groups spanning autism, ADHD, learning disabilities and Ehlers Danlos Syndrome. In-depth observational work was also conducted with autistic children at a boxing programme based in the inner city, from more diverse socio-economic backgrounds. ![]() The ethnographic focus of the study spans an initial cohort of nine children from private schools in Johannesburg diagnosed variously with learning disabilities, ADHD, developmental delays, speech disabilities, sensory challenges, anxiety, and autism. This thesis explores the lived experience of children defined as atypical. ![]()
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