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University of Groningen
Autism's anatomyVerhoeff, Berend
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Publication date:2015
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Citation for published version (APA):Verhoeff, B. (2015). Autism's anatomy: A dissection of the structure and development of a psychiatricconcept. [Groningen]: University of Groningen.
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Autism’s Anatomy
A dissection of the structure and development of a
psychiatric concept
Berend Verhoeff
ISBN: 978-90-367-8160-2
© 2015 by Berend Verhoeff
Printed and bound by Ipskamp drukkers, Amsterdam 2015
Cover art: M.C Escher (1898-1972), Bird Fish Symmetry Drawing E22, 1938
© 2015 The M.C. Escher Company – Baarn – The Netherlands
www.mcescher.com
All rights reserved
Cover design: Paul Gangloff
Publication of this dissertation was supported by the University of Groningen
Autism's Anatomy A dissection of the structure and development of a
psychiatric concept
Proefschrift
ter verkrijging van de graad van doctor aan de
Rijksuniversiteit Groningen
op gezag van de
rector magnificus prof. dr. E. Sterken
en volgens besluit van het College voor Promoties.
De openbare verdediging zal plaatsvinden op
donderdag 5 november 2015 om 12.45 uur
door
Berend Verhoeff
geboren op 29 augustus 1977
te Amsterdam
Promotores
Prof. dr. D. Draaisma
Prof. dr. G.C.G. Dehue
Beoordelingscommissie
Prof. dr. P. de Jonge
Prof. dr. M.H.N. Schermer
Prof. dr. N. Rose
Voor Paulien, Elin en Leonard.
Contents
Acknowledgements ix
1 │ Introduction: A focus on autism 1
2 │ What is this thing called autism? 17
Supplement: Challenging a mechanistic model of mental disorders 53
3 │ Autism in flux 65
4 │ Stabilizing autism 93
5 │ Two kinds of autism 137
6 │ Fundamental challenges for autism research 167
7 │ Kurt Goldstein on autism 177
8 │ Conclusion: Searching for autism in a sea of flux 205
Summary 221
Samenvatting 227
Acknowledgements
First of all, I would like to thank my primary supervisor professor Douwe
Draaisma. After an informal chat in a café in Groningen, he offered me a small
position at the Theory and History of Psychology Department at the University
of Groningen. This position gave me the opportunity to combine working as a
psychiatrist with doing the type of historical and conceptual research I aspired
to do, within a stimulating and unique multidisciplinary department. From the
very start, professor Draaisma has been a steady support in my struggle to make
sense of the history and science of autism.
I have been exceptionally fortunate to be supervised not only by him, but
also by another prominent Dutch academic and celebrated author of important
books on the interwovenness of psychiatry and society, professor Trudy
Dehue. Her work provided me with numerous significant and original
perspectives on contemporary psychiatry. As a Dutch psychiatrist I am very
happy to notice that her contextualizing and historicizing approach to mental
ailments is no longer feared and resisted by many of those in the field, but is
increasingly appreciated and internalized by Dutch psychiatry. Both my
supervisors have been invaluable sources of inspiration and motivation for
developing my own thoughts on the science and practice of psychiatry. They
underpinned and sustained my commitment to understanding mental health
problems as problems of entire human beings in complex worlds and not
merely as problems of human bodies and brains.
Many others have made a contribution to this dissertation. Various
anonymous article reviewers are gratefully acknowledged for sharpening my
analysis with their remarks and thoughtful suggestions. I am also very grateful
to Des Fitzgerald and the following participants of the Theory and History of
x │ Acknowledgements
Psychology Forum meetings at the University of Groningen for taking a lot of
time and effort to improve my preliminary manuscripts: Carlos Baum, Jonna
Brenninkmeijer, Jessica Cadwallader, Maarten Derksen, Robin Rymarczuk,
Felix Schirmann, Stephan Schleim, Hilde Tjeerdema, Martijn Wit, and of
course, Trudy Dehue and Douwe Draaisma.
I would also like to thank Dominic Murphy for welcoming me as a research
visitor at the History and Philosophy of Science Unit at the University of
Sydney. Despite all the attractions of living in the beautiful city of Sydney, I was
able to make valuable progress on my dissertation during my months at the
University of Sydney. Cycling to the beautiful campus at 7:00 AM for a focused
day of writing, and joining my family in the afternoon for a swim, some
desperate attempts to surf, and a barbecue at Bronte Beach was an awesome
experience I will never forget.
The Philosophy Department at the University of Amsterdam is also
thankfully acknowledged for accepting me as a visitor and for providing me
with a perfect place to work close to my house. The fellow PhD candidates at
the UvA, Martin Boeckhout, Guus Dix, Pim Klaassen, Floortje Moes, Lukas
Verburgt, Sara Vermeulen and Willemine Willems, are all thanked for the
discussions and many lunches we had. In particular, I would like to thank Pim
Klaassen. As the teacher who introduced me to the work of Ludwik Fleck and
Nikolas Rose during my Master’s in Philosophy; as the colleague who
introduced me to the Philosophy of Science Unit at the UvA; and now as a
good friend and neighbor at ‘Camping Geversduin,’ Pim has been of
immeasurable value. It is not putting it too strongly to say that, in many ways,
this dissertation would not have been possible without Pim’s enthusiasm,
generosity and intellectual input.
I also owe much to Maria Kamphuis for correcting my persistent
grammatical errors and badly written sentences. Writing in English remains a
struggle for me.
Furthermore, I want to thank my wonderful parents Pom and Guus, who
have been extremely supportive in multiple ways. Throughout the years, they
have always encouraged me to do the things I considered important and they
have always showed confidence in the decisions I have made. And, of course,
the many days they have babysat my children have been (and still are) priceless.
Further, for many unexpected hours of babysitting – before unavoidable
deadlines and lectures – I am also indebted to my mother-in-law Marieke, my
Acknowledgements │ xi
sister Emma, my brothers Otto and Stijn, and my (future?) brothers and sisters-
in-law Peter Paul, Luc, Kristina, Nathalie and Annet.
Finally, there is, of course, my very dear and wonderful wife Paulien. Even
at times when I was hardly able to explain what it was that I was analyzing, not
to mention the practical implications of it, she had faith in the project’s
significance and positive outcome. Throughout the years, Paulien has always
been there for me and I also thank her for our children, Elin and Leonard, the
most beautiful little creatures one could desire. These little ones helped – and
more often forced – me to take some distance from my work. Above all, they
made me realize that compared to all the amazing things a child is able to do in
the first five years of her life, this five-year project is a rather dull achievement.
Autism’s Anatomy
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