Maybe have a look at Onora O'Neill's book on Trust and Autonomy in Bioethics. Also check out some of the feminist literature on relational autonomy.

Relational autonomy rejects the notion of autonomy as the mere ability to make decisions. It acknowledges the inter-relationship of the person with society. Choices are considered as socially constructed and having consequences for the community.[1] Sheila McLean argues that, while relational autonomy does not seek to deny the importance of decisional freedom, it tries to constrain the excessive selfishness of individualistic autonomy and accepts that autonomous choices need to be made in response to obligations and responsibilities. Thus people are not merely decision-making machines, isolated from each other without obligations and responsibilities.[2] ‘Relational autonomy recognises that no man is an island, but that we all exist in a network of relationships.’ [3]

[1] S McLean, Autonomy, Consent and the Law (Routledge-Cavendish 2010) 21.

[2] ibid 24.

[3] C Foster, Choosing Life, Choosing Death: The Tyranny of Autonomy in Medical Ethics and Law (Hart 2009) 14.

The usual concept of autonomy is the strength to stand alone. Relational autonomy is the strength of two (or more) people that comes from leaning on one another.

Sometimes two or more persons come to gather (autonomously) for common purposes or they have a kind of familial relationship. Besides personal rights, In these circumstances, relational rights would form and become important both for persons and for the society in general; autonomous actions or decisions should protect both person's autonomy that usually might occur automatically and also protect benefits of the relationships and relational counterparts for any reason. Therefore, relational autonomy starts from personal autonomy but extents to somehow that relational rights could be protected. Surprisingly, we autonomously limit ourselves for the benefit of our relationships with other things including persons, etc. To sum, relational autonomy could be perceived as the autonomy that is implemented while the benefits/wishes/etc. of all counterparts of our relationships could be met.

Maybe have a look at Onora O'Neill's book on Trust and Autonomy in Bioethics. Also check out some of the feminist literature on relational autonomy.

Relational autonomy rejects the notion of autonomy as the mere ability to make decisions. It acknowledges the inter-relationship of the person with society. Choices are considered as socially constructed and having consequences for the community.[1] Sheila McLean argues that, while relational autonomy does not seek to deny the importance of decisional freedom, it tries to constrain the excessive selfishness of individualistic autonomy and accepts that autonomous choices need to be made in response to obligations and responsibilities. Thus people are not merely decision-making machines, isolated from each other without obligations and responsibilities.[2] ‘Relational autonomy recognises that no man is an island, but that we all exist in a network of relationships.’ [3]

[1] S McLean, Autonomy, Consent and the Law (Routledge-Cavendish 2010) 21.

[2] ibid 24.

[3] C Foster, Choosing Life, Choosing Death: The Tyranny of Autonomy in Medical Ethics and Law (Hart 2009) 14.

I would just add to Dr. Sheppard's answer that autonomy is an ideal perspective/situation that is available to persons in a well functioning society. A genuinely autonomous individual is a social and cultural impossibility, given that we are all shaped by, and dependent upon, the relationships that constitute our meaningful engagement with reality.