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Short abstract:

The study focuses on the role of technology and gender in shaping subjectivities within Turkey's online neurodiversity communities, highlighting the role of digital platforms in the formation of neurodiverse subjectivities

Long abstract:

This paper explores the intersection of digital technologies and social differentiation through the lens of the neurodiversity movement in Turkey, emphasizing how mediated social identities and 'proximity at a distance' contribute to new forms of social inclusion and participation. In the context of increasing digitalization and diversification, digital communities offer a unique opportunity to study the formation of hybrid subjectivities, particularly at the intersection of neurodiversity and LGBTQ movements. These online spaces challenge traditional notions of expertise and authority by fostering environments where personal experiences and identities are validated and shared across geographical and cultural boundaries. This study then highlights the transformative potential of digital proximity by examining the role of digital platforms in facilitating these emergent forms of community and identity. It investigates how these technological mediums allow for the expression and recognition of diverse identities, and thereby contributing to a broader reconfiguration of social structures, meanings, and practices. The negotiations over neurodiverse and LGBTQ subjectivities within these digital spaces offer insights into the changing perceptions of difference and belonging in Turkey since the 1980s. Through an analysis of how Turkey's digital communities facilitate new understandings of expertise and identity, the paper will reveal the potential of digital technologies to enhance social inclusion and participation in an increasingly polarized society