Moving Beyond “Inclusion” and Towards “Transformation”: Intersectional Life Story Narrative Research on Aging and Neurodiversity

“Inclusive” research has long been championed by scholars and activists in the fields of critical disability and critical gerontology. Despite this, there remain gaps in knowledge, with a notable paucity of research on the intersection of old age and neurodiversity. Debates persist regarding what counts as “inclusive” and how to assess the catalytic and transformative potential of “inclusive” research beyond the level of rhetoric, particularly in the context of interviewing people with experiences of intense social exclusion. Studies on aging with neurodiversity remain influenced by biomedical discourses insofar as the focus on “comorbidity” often overshadows the exploration of sociopolitical factors. The ways in which this research creates conditions of hyper/visibility (reduction of people to their “pathology” as patients or clients) and in/visibility (disregard for their voices, strengths, and agency) are cause for great concern. Our paper asks 3 related questions: (1) What counts as “inclusive” research on aging with neurodiversity? (2) Is it possible to move towards “transformation” in the operationalization of such research? (3) How do we do it? Using our research by way of illustrative example, we hope to create a dialogue with the reader about the possibilities and pitfalls of “inclusive” intersectional research praxis.