Getting Involved

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Financial donations to the Centre are greatly appreciated as they help us with running public events and funding research activities.

Click here for more information about donating financially to the Centre or email us at cat@abdn.ac.uk.

Please see the calendar of events for upcoming Centre activities. We would love to hear your suggestions if you have any relevant topics you would like us to cover in future events! Email cat@abdn.ac.uk

For some of our projects, we look for people willing to share their views on the questions we research. Sometimes we look for people who identify as autistic, sometimes for parents/caregivers of autistic people, sometimes church leaders, etc. Often these projects include different ways in which you can share your views, for example through face-to-face interviews, filling out a questionnaire, writing a journal, or a video or phone interview.

If you want to participate in a project, you can sign up for our mailing list where we send out calls for participants.

Click here to sign up or email us at cat@abdn.ac.uk

Autistic Christians in Church Leadership is a collective of autistic Christians who have a foot in the door of church leadership in any capacity. Not all members are autistic but the majority are, equally, not all members are part of a formal ordained ministry.

The group aims to build a network of autistic Christian leaders where space for autistic voices is at the forefront. Each month we will read a chapter of a book and then come together via Microsoft Teams to discuss our views and provoke thoughtful convocation.

For more information, please email h.gibbins.23@abdn.ac.uk

The Neurodiversity, Faith and Cultural Identities group (NeuFCI) provides a platform for researchers interested in the intersection of neurodiversity, religion and spirituality, and cultural identities. The term ‘cultural identities’ encompasses linguistic minorities and ethnically minoritised groups in the United Kingdom; communities that may be part of the majority culture elsewhere but are often underrepresented in the dominant discourse on autism in the Global North. By focusing on these communities, the group aims to enrich discussions on neurodiversity, culture, and faith, contributing a new perspective beyond the neurotypical "Western" discourse.

The group aspires to foster a vibrant research community that facilitates:

• The exploration of under-researched and underrepresented topics with the goal of effecting meaningful change.
• The integration of theory and practice through discussions centred on research and organisational initiatives.
• The provision of opportunities for collaboration and networking.

Being under the umbrella of the Centre for Autism and Theology, the group aligns with the Centre’s ethos, exploring questions such as:

• How is neurodiversity experienced by people who inhabit various religious identities?
• How is neurodiversity shaped linguistically & culturally? What are commonalities and differences between various cultures?
• What might be involved in supporting faith communities of different cultures and ethnic backgrounds to flourish in ways that value the belonging of neurodivergent members?

The group meets online, once a month.

Known by the acronym NeuFCI, the group’s name echoes nafsi (نفسي), the Arabic word for “self” or “my soul.” In Islamic tradition, nafs represents the singular source from which all human beings are created; a shared origin that binds us in essence. Nafsi, then, is a reclamation of the individual within the collective: it affirms the “my” in “my soul,” honouring the distinct agency, voice, and story each person carries within the unity of humanity. In harmony with this, the African ethos of Ubuntu recognises the profound interconnectedness between the self and others, affirming that identity is shaped through relationships within community, as encapsulated in the phrase "I am because we are."

This resonance of nafsi with NeuFCI reflects our commitment to honouring the whole self. We believe that our spiritual, cultural, and neurodivergent identities are central to human flourishing. Just as nafsi evokes the depth from which all creation emerges and the agency each individual brings to the collective, NeuFCI seeks to centre voices and experiences that are often marginalised, offering a space where diverse expressions of identity can be explored, affirmed, and connected

If you are interested in finding out more about this group, please get in touch by emailing cat@abdn.ac.uk.

If you are interested in writing your undergraduate dissertation, writing a postgraduate paper or dissertation, or your PhD thesis on autism, or do postdoctoral work, let us know! (Please note that we currently have no funding available).

You can either contact us at the Centre's email address (cat@abdn.ac.uk) or get in touch with one of our researchers with whom you would like to work.

If you are looking to do your PhD at the Centre, we ask that you include a short research proposal and CV.