Autism and Disability Discrimination in Turkey: On Social Atrophy, Covert Ableism and Exclusionary Practices

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY This report examines, from an interdisciplinary perspective, the social exclusion practices experienced by individuals diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and persons within the general scope of disability in Turkey, in light of academic literature, field reports from civil society organisations (CSOs), and available statistical data. The central argument of the analysis is as follows: while the Turkish State has established a comprehensive legal framework aligned with international norms, the principal responsibility for the failure of this framework to become operational at the societal level lies with social actors at the individual and institutional scales. Labelling, stigmatisation, exclusion from public spaces and covert population-filtering practices — patterns corresponding in sociological literature to the concepts of 'courtesy stigma' (indirect stigmatisation) and 'ableism' — indicate that Turkish society harbours a chronic intolerance towards neurocognitive differences.