Chloe Farahar

About

I am the recipient of the UKs Economic and Social Research Council, three-year, fully-funded award for a PhD utilising social psychological theories of intergroup contact and stigma reduction, integrating theories and methods of Theatre for Change in order to reduce psychological-divergence stigma.

I created, developed, and use a play (Stigmaphrenia©; Farahar, 2012) about the neuro-divergent nature of what is currently (and incorrectly) referred to as “madness” and “mental illness” in order to improve public attitude and behaviour, but more importantly, perceptions of the self.

My research interests include: group processes and intergroup relations; mental health stigma and its reduction via experiential means, increasing perspective-taking and empathy; Theatre for Change, the theory and practice of drama for social justice purposes; theoretical conceptualisation of autistic experience; creation and evaluation of a pre- and post-diagnosis support programme run by and for autistic students.

I also work as an autistic consultant and self-advocate carrying out workshops educating diverse audiences about the power of language, and the need to move away from marginalising bio-medical language and the misconceptions it instils.