Pockets of opportunity: Tourette Syndrome, public space, and impulse

Tourette Syndrome (TS) has been of increasing interest to social scientists in recent years. However, there has been minimal consideration surrounding the adulthood experiences of TS in and around public spaces, with most social research prioritizing childhood experiences of education and stigma. This paper draws upon doctoral research into the tourettic adult experiences of public spaces, using participant experiences to introduce the concepts of the chance encounter and pockets of opportunity to illustrate the distinct ways in which tourettic adults experience and interact with public spaces. The paper advances scholarship into disability, impulse, and public space and explores the ways in which tourettic adults are involved in the additional labour of strategically managing encounters. Additionally, it considers how pockets of opportunity facilitate these strategically managed encounters. In doing so, the paper raises questions and routes for further inquiry that more appropriately represent the needs and interests of the adult tourettic community.