Damian Milton

Neurodiversity paradigm
Philosophy Bodily autonomy Disability rights movement Independent living movement Self-advocacy
Organizations Aspies For Freedom Autism Network International Autistic Self Advocacy Network National Autistic Society
Events Autism Acceptance Day & Month Autism History Month Autistic Pride Day Autscape Disability Day of Mourning Neurodiversity Celebration Week Weird Pride Day
Issues Ableism Anti-autism All in a Row Applied behavior analysis Augmentative and alternative communication Autism friendly Autism Speaks Communication Shutdown Community integration Controversies in autism Deinstitutionalisation Disability-selective abortion Double empathy problem Ethical challenges to autism treatment Eugenics Facilitated communication Filicide Inclusion in education Inclusion as a right Judge Rotenberg Center Neurodiversity and labor rights Ole Ivar Lovaas Social model of disability Societal and cultural aspects of autism Universal Design for Learning
People Alex Plank Ari Ne'eman Damian Milton Daniel Lightwing Devon Price Donna Williams govy Greta Thunberg Jim Sinclair John Elder Robison Josef Schovanec Judy Singer Julia Bascom Lydia Brown Mel Baggs Michelle Dawson Morénike Giwa Onaiwu Morton Ann Gernsbacher Nick Walker Robert Chapman Roy Richard Grinker Shain Neumeier Stephen Shore Steve Silberman Temple Grandin William Davenport
Films Citizen Autistic Loving Lampposts Neurotypical
Criticism Pro-cure perspective National Council on Severe Autism Matthew Belmonte Manuel Casanova Jill Escher Michael Fitzpatrick Bruce Hall David Miedzianik Jonathan Mitchell Alysson Muotri Jonathan Shestack Alison Singer
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Damian Elgin Maclean Milton (born August 1973^[1]) is a British sociologist and social psychologist who specialises in autism research and is an autism rights advocate. He is a lecturer at the University of Kent as well as a consultant for the United Kingdom's National Autistic Society and has academic qualifications in sociology, psychology, philosophy, and education.^[2][3]: 13

Milton's interest in autism began when his son was diagnosed as autistic in 2005 at two years old. Milton himself was diagnosed with Asperger syndrome in 2009 at the age of 36.^{[3]: 13 [4]}

Milton is best known for his "double empathy problem" theory first published in 2012,^[5][6][7] which is the idea that, contrary to what previous studies in the late 20th century had concluded, autistic people are not inherently deficient in empathy but rather that autistic and non-autistic people bidirectionally struggle with empathy and communicating with one another.^[8][9][10] While the concept had existed in earlier discourse, dating back to arguments voiced by activists like Jim Sinclair since the 1990s, Milton named and significantly expanded on it.^{[3]: 10 [10]}

Milton has co-authored over 250 publications^[2] related to autism. His work is influenced by the social model of disability,^{[3]: 10–12 [7]} and many of his publications deconstruct and critically analyse past theories. For example, he has argued that self-stimulatory behavior (stimming) should be viewed positively and may help autistic people achieve flow states.^[11] His work has been favourably received by the academic^[9][10][12] as well as the autistic community.^[6][13]

He has spoken out against the Spectrum 10K project, questioning whether it truly was contributing to the well-being of autistic people.^[14]