Neuroqueer in/and social work: A scoping review of theory and practice

Neuroqueer is an emerging concept that brings queer theory and queering practices towards the interwoven experiences of neurodiversity, disability, gender, and sexuality. This review sought to understand how neuroqueer is conceptualised and applied in research and explore how social work could benefit from engaging with neuroqueer research and discourse. Using a scoping methodology, this review mapped 'neuroqueer' in empirical research across thirteen databases, with eighteen articles selected for inclusion. Data was charted following Arksey & O'Malley's approach, and analysis included a descriptive summary of the charted data, and a reflexive thematic analysis following Braun & Clarke. We found that neuroqueer is used in diverse qualitative research across disciplines, but not yet in social work research. Neuroqueer defied a single definition across empirical research, however, our analysis identified three overarching themes-(1) neuroqueer as a framework for understanding the inseparability of queerness and neurodivergence; (2) neuroqueering as creative practices that upend and transgress social and disciplinary norms; and (3) neuroqueerness for embodied experiences of queerness and neurodivergence. In considering implications for social work, there are opportunities to bring social work strengths in community practice and systemic advocacy to build counter-narratives, resource collective care efforts, and (neuro)queer existing affirming care models. This review explores how a new idea, neuroqueer, is conceptualised and used in research and how it could be taken up by social work. We searched for the word 'neuroqueer' in thirteen academic databases and selected eighteen research articles for our analysis. We found three different ideas in the literature-neuroqueer, neuroqueering, and neuroqueerness. Neuroqueer is a theoretical concept for the connections between queerness and neurodivergence at the personal level, and also in systems that enforce 'normal' minds, relationships, and genders. Neuroqueering describes how people upend, challenge, and play with these expectations of normalcy. Neuroqueerness showed us how people experience this interwoven neurodivergence and queerness-often positive and joyful but sometimes also painful where violence or exclusion occur. We suggest how social workers can incorporate these ideas into practice and research by building on existing social work ideas, adding in neuroqueering practices like being creative and borrowing ideas from other fields, as well as supporting communities of trans, queer, and neurodivergent people in mutual aid. We encourage social work to continue to create change by challenging systems that treat neuroqueer experiences as abnormal, co-creating new stories about neuroqueerness.