The Neurodiversity Reader: Exploring Concepts, Lived Experience and Implications for Practice

This thought-provoking collection is written for all stakeholders in relation to autism and neurodivergent conditions. Despite having wide impact on a variety of disciplines, neurodiversity and related concepts are often poorly understood, which can lead to uninformed debate and potential tensions between stakeholders regarding service provision for those with neuro-developmental disabilities. The Neurodiveristy Reader brings together work from pioneering figures within and beyond the neurodiversity movement to critically explore its history, the concepts of neurodiversity that have shaped it, lived experiences, and how a better informed understanding might be translated into practice and service provision. Through a variety of accounts, the relevance and criticisms of these concepts in understanding ourselves and one another are examined, as well as important implications for practice. A primary text for support professionals and students of neurodivergent experiences and disability, as well as neurodivergent people themselves.

Dr Damian Milton’s interest in autism began when his son was diagnosed in 2005 as autistic at the age of two. Damian was also diagnosed with Asperger’s in 2009 at the age of 36. Thanks to Damian’s ability to present his views and insights from ‘inside’ the autism spectrum so clearly, he is able to challenge many of the ideas held by society. Damian works part-time for the National Autistic Society (NAS) as Head of Autism Knowledge and Expertise (Adults and Community) and sits on the scientific and advisory committee for Research Autism. Damian currently teaches on the MA Education (Autism) programme at London South Bank University and is a consultant for the Transform Autism Education (TAE) project. In 2017 Damian joined the Tizard Centre, University of Kent as a part-time Lecturer to coincide with his work for the NAS.