This zine summarises Dr Emma Reardon's PhD thesis, which won a Three Minute Thesis competition in June 2026. The thesis uses autoethnography to explore how the author educates people about autism through nature writing, blogs and professional pieces. It is aimed at anyone interested in autism, nature and inclusive education.
This zine is a summary of Dr Emma Reardon's PhD thesis, which won the author's university Three Minute Thesis competition in June 2026. It is written for anyone interested in autism, nature and inclusive education, and presents the key findings from a 246-page portfolio in a short, accessible format.
The thesis contains three portfolio projects: samples of nature writing, extracts from autism blogs, and professional pieces about autism. The author used autoethnography as a research method to connect personal experiences to broader cultural phenomena.
The first research question explored the importance of authenticity in writings about autism. The author found that while authenticity is valued in society, Autistic people often camouflage or mask their true selves to avoid harm, creating a double harm where they lose wellbeing benefits and suffer mental health impacts.
The second research question examined how portfolio materials met audience needs. The author connects with audiences through relatable content, nature themes, active and experiential learning, humour and thought-provoking questions. She creates spaces where audiences learn about what it is like to be Autistic.
The third research question identified strategies for engaging audiences. The author positions lived experience as expertise that can reshape educational, social and cultural understandings of autism, moving from viewing autism as an individual disorder to seeing it as part of human and ecological diversity.