Rethinking Autism: A History of Neurodiversity and Paradigm Change

3 Credits

Is autism a disease that needs to be cured, or a diversity that needs to be accepted? Should we push autistic individuals to be "normal" or embrace unique ways of being human? To best respond to these and other contested questions, this course provides the historical context of autism and other neurodivergent conditions in the United States from the 1700s until today. By exploring how autism was defined, by whom, when, and why, students will have an opportunity to question societal assumptions about competency, identity, and belonging, and to interrogate dynamics and conditions that frequently leave neurodivergent people marginalized. Through projects and reflection, students will also have a chance to explore what it means to be neurodivergent at this moment, during an era of rapid paradigm change.