Autism and the perpetual puzzle : a rhetorical analysis of three explanations for autism /

Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Jodlowski, Denise Marie
Other Authors: Sharf, Barbara F. (Thesis advisor), Aune, James A. (Thesis advisor)
Format: Thesis eBook
Language:English
Published: [College Station, Tex.] : [Texas A&M University], [2010]
Subjects:
Online Access:Link to OAK Trust copy

MARC

Tag First Indicator Second Indicator Subfields
LEADER 00000cam a2200000Ka 4500
001 in00002580813
005 20151201150154.0
006 m f d
007 cr unu||||||||
008 100428s2010 txu sbm 000 0 eng d
035 |a (OCoLC)ocn609910225 
035 |a (OCoLC)609910225 
035 |a (TxCM)http://hdl.handle.net/1969.1/ETD-TAMU-2009-05-315 
040 |a TXA  |c TXA  |d UtOrBLW 
049 |a TXAM 
099 |a 2009  |a Dissertation  |a 1969.1/ETD-TAMU-2009-05-315 
100 1 |a Jodlowski, Denise Marie. 
245 1 0 |a Autism and the perpetual puzzle :  |b a rhetorical analysis of three explanations for autism /  |c by Denise Marie Jodlowski. 
264 1 |a [College Station, Tex.] :  |b [Texas A&M University],  |c [2010] 
300 |a 1 online resource. 
336 |a text  |b txt  |2 rdacontent 
337 |a computer  |b c  |2 rdamedia 
338 |a online resource  |b cr  |2 rdacarrier 
500 |a "Major Subject: Communication" 
500 |a Title from author supplied metadata (automated record created 2010-03-12 12:08:51). 
502 |b Doctor of Philosophy  |c Texas A&M University  |d 2009  |o http://hdl.handle.net/1969.1/ETD-TAMU-2009-05-315 
504 |a Includes bibliographical references. 
516 |a Text (Dissertation) 
520 3 |a Autism awareness has increased in recent years in part because it is marked by confusion and controversy. The confusion and controversy stem from the fact that there are many beliefs about autism but little agreement. In this dissertation I examined the rhetoric produced by three primary groups--professional autism experts, caregivers to children with autism and mainstream media. In particular, I studied how each group explains autism. Explanations are vehicles for persuasion; they advance particular viewpoints about an illness. I conducted a rhetorical analysis of the three discourses produced by these groups, highlighting the most cohesive themes to emerge from the discourse. To study professional autism experts' explanations, I analyzed articles in autism's flagship research journal and research articles from other journals and key books for additional insight. A computer metaphor guided expert explanations of autism. To define autism through one of most advanced and culturally accepted technological devices lent significant credibility to the explanations. Next, I studied the caregiver explanations, first conducting interviews with 19 parents to children with autism and then I analyzed the transcripts. Caregivers described autism as a social pathology; their children with autism were different and distant, or alien-like. The pathology affected people with autism, their caregivers and their families, many other neuro-typical people, and it also determined the course of treatment for the person with autism. Finally, mainstream media often explained autism in terms of its conflicts, framing its explanations of autism with a war metaphor. The vaccine debate received a significant attention, recharacterizing the role of medical institutions and health practitioners. Caregivers became the heroes, using their personal experiences as weapons against healthcare practitioners and their science. Caregivers also dealt with the invasion of autism, struggling for ways to return their children closer to the boundary that exists between the child with autism and the neuro-typical child. 
500 |a Electronic resource. 
650 4 |a Major Communication. 
653 |a Explanations 
653 |a Autism 
653 |a Medical rhetoric 
700 1 |a Sharf, Barbara F.,  |e thesis advisor. 
700 1 |a Aune, James A.,  |e thesis advisor. 
856 4 0 |u http://hdl.handle.net/1969.1/ETD-TAMU-2009-05-315  |z Link to OAK Trust copy  |t 0 
948 |a cataloged  |b h  |c 2010/4/28  |d c  |e jolivare  |f 5:26:32 pm 
994 |a C0  |b TXA 
999 |a MARS 
999 f f |s 15f6ef17-ebc1-338d-8f5f-5076c75a5871  |i 2724100e-59eb-3647-ba8e-570b900112ba  |t 0 
952 f f |a Texas A&M University  |b College Station  |c Electronic Resources  |d Available Online  |t 0  |e 2009 Dissertation 1969.1/ETD-TAMU-2009-05-315  |h Other scheme 
998 f f |a 2009 Dissertation 1969.1/ETD-TAMU-2009-05-315  |t 0  |l Available Online