Social representation of autism as topic relevant for anthropology

In our paper we are introducing social anthropological perspective on autism (autistic spectrum disorders), as the topic which is in line with the tradition of the social anthropology interested in the studies of subject formation in the societies of the so called West. In the centre of our interest stand representations of autism as representation of the subjects. Autism is the disorder which does not have any visible somatic displays. Autistic behavior could then be very easily exchanged for eccentricity, not willingness of the person to enter the social interaction or for the sign of the other mental disorder. We look on autism as an example of the discursive practice. This mean an interconnected ensemble of the representations and acting, which is bringing to live by subjects and also creates this subjects. We stand on the Michel Foucalt’s approach to study of the formation of subject in the Western Societies. By the discursive analysis of the of the Czech web sites dedicated to the autism we would like to describe which representation present contemporary science about autism, supporting organization through their practices and also parents of autistic children, or autistic people themselves. This pages create a field, where is possible to follow a discursive play between various truths about autism. This pages is trying to be a guide for creating and representing of specific subjectivity. This subjectivity is not coherent and one, but contains multiple contradictions, which lay autism on the scale from illness to the identity