What next for neurodiversity?

The British Dyslexia Association hosted a conference “Neuodiversity and Learning Differences”. A range of speakers from education, psychology and psychiatry spoke about how the term neurodiversity is understood and how this might impact on people who attract or claim labels such as dyslexia, ADHD and autism.

Professor Katherine Runswick-Cole, from The School of Education and iHuman at the University of Sheffield, spoke about the future of neurodiversity.

Katherine talked about the opportunities and the limitations of organizing socially and politically around the idea that some brains are wired differently from others.

Katherine concluded by asking the audience to imagine advocacy otherwise by moving beyond campaigns for ‘awareness’ or ‘acceptance’ of neurological difference to a celebration of difference in itself as a validation of lived experience.

For more information please contact Katherine k.runswick-cole@sheffield.ac.uk