Disagreeing over Neurodiversity

The term neurodiversity was coined by the Australian Sociologist Judy Singer more than twenty years ago. Singer’s own views regarding neurodiversity have developed since this time, yet were initially based on the principle of biodiversity and the stating of a ‘brute fact’ of the diversity of embodied experiences, and not viewed as a ‘good or bad’ thing as such. Over time growing numbers of people, particularly autistic activists identified as proponents of the ‘neurodiversity movement’ or variations of what has been referred to as the ‘neurodiversity paradigm’. The neurodiversity movement has been conceptualised in different ways, but largely refers to the promotion of civil rights for ‘neuro-minority’ or ‘neurodivergent’ populations (as sometimes referred to). Perhaps what causes the most controversy (and also misunderstanding) has been on the notion of the ‘neurodiversity paradigm’. Variations of which often work with variations of a social or post-social model of disability, promoting participation and experiential knowledge.