Commentary on “De-fusing and re-fusing face-to-face encounters involving autistic persons in Hong Kong”

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to provide a commentary on Alex Cockain’s article “De-fusing and re-fusing face-to-face encounters involving autistic persons in Hong Kong”.

Design/methodology/approach

The commentary considers the issues raised in Cockain’s article primarily from a focus on Goffman’s concept of “stigma”. Cognitive, emotional and behavioural components of stigma are examined and its wider relevance considered.

Findings

There has been less research on the stigma of learning disability than on that of mental health, despite a very early study of learning disability (Edgerton, 1967) using the concept only four years after the publication of Goffman’s (1963) seminal work. A number of points of relevance of stigma are identified including to social role valorisation, visible and invisible stigmas, the concept of “passing”, microaggression, disablism and labelling.

Originality/value

The commentary illustrates the relevance of the concept of stigma to other aspects of learning disability and disability scholarship.

Citation

Nunkoosing, K. (2021), "Commentary on “De-fusing and re-fusing face-to-face encounters involving autistic persons in Hong Kong”", Tizard Learning Disability Review, Vol. 26 No. 1, pp. 43-47. https://doi.org/10.1108/TLDR-12-2020-0042