Neuromixed Participatory Action Research: A Dialogical Method

This chapter delves into the authors’ dialogical journey in deploying “Autisme Soutien” (Autism Support), an online social support service in Québec (Canada) designed “by and for” Autistic adults. It begins with a description of the neuromixed participatory action research project that led to the service’s co-development and implementation. The authors’ dialogical method of reflecting on and sharing interpretations of various project issues is then explored. The authors provide a description of how they employed this dialogical method both during the research phase (i.e., describing) and in the composition of this chapter (i.e., our meta-thinking and collective reflection). The chapter underscores the significance of cross-fertilizing knowledge and establishing equitable collaborative relationships and emphasizes the value of diversity and plurality of knowledge. The chapter also highlights the necessity, particularly in neuromixed teams, of reflecting on one’s standpoint to foster joint political engagement and inclusive practices. It further debates the rebalancing of power relations and offers directions for achieving this, such as having a high proportion of Autistic members, ensuring equal compensation, and practicing power redistribution among allistic members. Finally, we reflect on how these issues and learning manifested during the project and within the neuromixed research collective as well as how the dialogical method deepened them.