Date of Award
12-2024
Degree Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Arts (MA)
Department
Religious Studies
First Advisor
Andrew Walker-Cornetta
Second Advisor
Monique Moultrie
Third Advisor
Eric Wright
Abstract
The intersection of religion and autism represents an under-researched area in religion scholarship. Social media activity suggests a growing number of autistic people self-representing their religious experiences through online platforms, generating discourse about religion in relation to exvangelicalism. This project reports the various digital strategies autistic ex-evangelical TikTok creators employ to narrate their deconstruction of American evangelical Christian beliefs and doctrines. These narrations and strategies are considered through the framework of implicit religion, exploring how creators portray autistic identity as a vehicle for meaning making. This thesis analyzes where autistic ex-evangelical TikTok creators’ commitments lie, how they integrate aspects of their core identity into a meaningful life, and what issues from these commitments obscure the boundaries of what we deem religious activity.
Recommended Citation
Forgey, Ashley Alderman, "Dialogue with TikTok – Examining Dimensions of Autistic Evangelical Deconstruction and Autistic Identity as Implicit Religion." Thesis, Georgia State University, 2024.
https://scholarworks.gsu.edu/rs_theses/69
File Upload Confirmation
1