The Autism Era
The Contentious Politics of a Diagnosis
$56.94
- Paperback
336 pages
- Release Date
3 November 2026
Summary
The invention of autism as a medical category was viewed as a crucial step toward a new era of hope for children with disabilities. However, it has come to be a hindrance to scientific knowledge and advocacy for social inclusion. The Autism Era provides an account of the diminishing value of autism, whether as a diagnostic target for drug discovery, a category of special education eligibility, or as the basis of a neurodiverse identity.
The last few decades have seen rapidly …
Book Details
| ISBN-13: | 9781503648128 |
|---|---|
| ISBN-10: | 1503648125 |
| Author: | Kristin Bumiller |
| Publisher: | Stanford University Press |
| Imprint: | Stanford University Press |
| Format: | Paperback |
| Number of Pages: | 336 |
| Release Date: | 3 November 2026 |
| Dimensions: | 152mm x 229mm |
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Critics Review
“The Autism Era uses ethnography, history, participant observation, and institutional analysis to show the rise and decline of a medical model. This compelling and needed reading for experts, students of sociology, and parents points to actual elements of necessary care and education.” —Martha Minow, Harvard University “This courageous book documents the ‘end of an era’ for the traditional scientific understandings of autism. It sketches what the next era may entail: different investigationsthat can advance not just those who are autistic or otherwise different. Such orientations will also benefit systematic inquiry itself, plus caretakers, educators, and many members of the large village surrounding the autisms in our midst.” —Douglas Maynard, University of Wisconsin-Madison
Kristin Bumiller
Kristin Bumiller is the George Daniel Olds Professor of Economic and Social Institutions in the Department of Political Science at Amherst College. She is the author of The Civil Rights Society (1988), a seminal work of legal consciousness, and In an Abusive State (2008).
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