The foundations of Neurodiversity thought and culture has its roots in the Autism Rights Movement and majorly stems from Jim Sinclair in his 1993 essay "Don't Mourn for Us." Considered radical compared to other autistic writings between the 1980s and early 1990s, Sinclair's essay argued that parents need to accept and embrace their child's differences to meet their needs, instead of the cultural norm of considering an autism diagnosis a tragedy. Sinclair's essay is the backbone of discussion about neurodiversity and to this day, is commonly referenced in the media and academia.
Where did the term "neurodiversity" come from? It was coined in 1998 by Australian sociologist Judy Singer in her university thesis. In describing the term, she writes, "For me, the key significance of the Autism Spectrum lies in its call for and anticipation of a politics of neurological diversity, or 'neurodiversity.' The neurologically different represent a new addition to the familiar political categories of class/gender/race and will augment the insights of the social model of disability."
In 1998, the same year Singer wrote her thesis, it was publicized for the first time by Harvey Blume in a September 1998 issue of The Atlantic entitled On the neurological underpinnings of geekdom.
In 2013, The Neurodiversity Movement came to life when Singer was credited by Steve Silberman in a special issue of Wired entitled Neurodiversity Rewires Conventional Thinking About Brains that began to reach a wide audience.
Judy Singer is an Australian sociologist, writer, public speaker and disability activist. She is internationally recognised as a pioneer of the global Neurodiversity Movement. The neurodiversity paradigm has since gone global, thank to Judy’s dedicated work. At Brave talks, in conversation with Dr Steve Gluckman she shares her family history - a mother, who was a traumatized survivor of the Holocaust and who Singer realised had strong Asperger’s traits. Her mother’s experience instilled in Singer the determination to try to understand her experience of life.
This workshop will equip attendees with an understanding of different learning styles due to their neurodiversity, and identify which strategies would help with their own learning style in the workplace. The Brief History of Neurodiversity is a webinar by Exceptional Individuals that discusses dyslexia and neurodiversity from historic, scientific and advocacy-perspective in an engaging interactive way.
By now, most of us know what autism is, but do we know what neurodiversity is? With 40% of the total population suspected of being neurodivergent, we should! In this talk, Speech Language Pathologist Cynthia Coupe, MA, CCC-SLP describes what neurodiversity is, and what happens when neurodivergent individuals are not supported by society. Cynthia is a self-identified neurodivergent and mother of a daughter who has ADHD and is autistic. This talk will shift the paradigm bringing lasting change through education, identification, and support.
What do you think about, when you hear the word, “autism”? No diagnostic manual can truly explain the multifaceted experience of autism. It’s a neurological difference with a vast spectrum of representation within its population. It can come with remarkable gifts and skills as well as devastating traits. Autism does not necessarily equal disability and thankfully today, we have a word, that challenges this negative terminology. Neurodiversity. In her talk, Elisabeth communicates how it is to be autistic yet lead an independent and successful everyday life.
Jennifer reflects passionately on her journey and talks about the increased population who are coming to understand their neurodivergence and become empowered by their differences. Since earning her BA and MSc from the University of Galway, Jennifer Poyntz has begun a PhD Programme specialising in English and Disability Studies. Diagnosed as having ADHD and autism at the age of twenty-six, Jennifer has dedicated her career to advocating for neurodivergent-friendly measures in the workplace and higher education and is currently employed at AsIAm, Ireland’s National Autism Charity where she oversees the running of the Adult Support Programme.
Asperger's Children by
In the first comprehensive history of the links between autism and Nazism, prize-winning historian Edith Sheffer uncovers how a diagnosis common today emerged from the atrocities of the Third Reich. As the Nazi regime slaughtered millions across Europe during World War Two, it sorted people according to race, religion, behavior, and physical condition. Nazi psychiatrists targeted children with different kinds of minds--especially those thought to lack social skills--claiming the Reich had no place for them. Hans Asperger and his colleagues endeavored to mold certain "autistic" children into productive citizens, while transferring others to Spiegelgrund, one of the Reich's deadliest child killing centers. In this unflinching history, Sheffer exposes Asperger's complicity in the murderous policies of the Third Reich.
Autistic Community and the Neurodiversity Movement by
This open access book marks the first historical overview of the autism rights branch of the neurodiversity movement, describing the activities and rationales of key leaders in their own words since it organized into a unique community in 1992.
A History of Autism by
This book explores the history of autism from the first descriptions of autistic-type behaviour to the present day. Through unprecedented interviews with many of the earliest pioneers in the field, and leading professionals working today across the world - including China, India, Russia and Latin America - A History of Autism casts fresh light on the way in which this disorder is, and has been, perceived and treated. Meticulously researched, the book draws on evidence from previously unpublished documents and illustrations, as well as the latest findings and case studies. In addition, interviews with parents of autistic children confirm the essential contribution they have made to a more profound understanding of this enigmatic condition.
In a Different Key: the Story of Autism by
Nearly seventy-five years ago, Donald Triplett of Forest, Mississippi became the first child diagnosed with autism. Beginning with his family's odyssey, In a Different Key tells the extraordinary story of this often misunderstood condition, and of the civil rights battles waged by the families of those who have it. Unfolding over decades, it is a beautifully rendered history of ordinary people determined to secure a place in the world for those with autism--by liberating children from dank institutions, campaigning for their right to go to school, challenging expert opinion on what it means to have autism, and persuading society to accept those who are different.
Neurodiversity: the birth of an idea by
This volume includes Judy Singer's original thesis (see citation below) with the addition of a new introduction.
Neurodiversity Studies by
This is the first work of its kind to bring cutting-edge research across disciplines to the concept of neurodiversity. It offers in-depth explorations of the themes of cure/prevention/eugenics; neurodivergent wellbeing; cross-neurotype communication; neurodiversity at work; and challenging brain-bound cognition. It analyses the role of neuro-normativity in theorising agency, and a proposal for a new alliance between the Hearing Voices Movement and neurodiversity. In doing so, we contribute to a cultural imperative to redefine what it means to be human. To this end, we propose a new field of enquiry that finds ways to support the inclusion of neurodivergent perspectives in knowledge production, and which questions the theoretical and mythological assumptions that produce the idea of the neurotypical.
Neurotribes : the legacy of autism and the future of neurodiversity by
WIRED reporter Steve Silberman unearths the secret history of autism, long suppressed by the same clinicians who became famous for discovering it, and finds surprising answers to the crucial question of why the number of diagnoses has soared in recent years. Going back to the earliest days of autism research and chronicling the brave and lonely journey of autistic people and their families through the decades, Silberman provides long-sought solutions to the autism puzzle, while mapping out a path for our society toward a more humane world in which people with learning differences and those who love them have access to the resources they need to live happier, healthier, more secure, and more meaningful lives.
Unmasking Autism by
In Unmasking Autism, Dr. Devon Price shares his personal experience with masking and blends history, social science research, prescriptions, and personal profiles to tell a story of neurodivergence that has thus far been dominated by those on the outside looking in. For Dr. Price and many others, Autism is a deep source of uniqueness and beauty. Unfortunately, living in a neurotypical world means it can also be a source of incredible alienation and pain. Most masked Autistic individuals struggle for decades before discovering who they truly are. They are also more likely to be marginalized in terms of race, gender, sexual orientation, class, and other factors, which contributes to their suffering and invisibility. Dr. Price lays the groundwork for unmasking and offers exercises that encourage self-expression, including: Celebrating special interests; cultivating autistic relationships; reframing autistic stereotypes; and rediscovering your values.
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