Abstract
Both of the quotes with which I open this chapter speak about the potential of autistic1 people to live lives that are personally fulfilling and that contribute to the well-being of society. Unfortunately, however, those on the spectrum tend to be viewed negatively as weird, sick, disabled, disordered, abnormal, and laden with deficits. This book is an effort both to shift the public conception of autistic people toward an understanding of assets and possibility, and to illustrate how the people who surround those on the spectrum may adapt their beliefs and conduct to enable autistic lives that are satisfying and fulfilled.
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Smagorinsky, P. (2016). Introduction. In: Smagorinsky, P. (eds) Creativity and Community among Autism-Spectrum Youth. Palgrave Studies In Play, Performance, Learning, and Development. Palgrave Macmillan, New York. https://doi.org/10.1057/978-1-137-54797-2_1
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