Unsettling the Resettled: An Intersectional Analysis of Autism in the Somali Diaspora

Abstract

This multiple case study uses intersectionality and neurodiversity as frameworks to understand the experiences of Somali American families and the educators working with their children. Three primary themes emerged—parenting: intersections among race, disability, and gender; cultural assumptions and family/educator communication; and diversity and agency among mothers. Practical implications for educating students with autism from non-dominant racial/ethnic, linguistic, religious, and cultural backgrounds are discussed.