Autism and the Myth of the Person Alone

by Douglas Biklen, Richard Attfield, Larry Bissonnette, Lucy Blackman

Overview

Engages with the perspectives of people with autism, in their own voices

Autism has been defined by experts as a developmental disorder affecting social and communication skills as well as verbal and nonverbal communication. It is said to occur in as many as 2 to 6 in 1,000 individuals. This book challenges the prevailing, tragic narrative of impairment that so often characterizes discussions about autism.

Autism and the Myth of the Person Alone seriously engages the perspectives of people with autism, including those who have been considered as the most severely disabled within the autism spectrum. The heart of the book consists of chapters by people with autism themselves, either in an interview format with the author or written by themselves. Each author communicates either by typing or by a combination of speech and typing. These chapters are framed by a substantive introduction and conclusion that contextualize the book, the methodology, and the analysis, and situate it within a critical disability studies framework. The volume allows a look into the rich and insightful perspectives of people who have heretofore been thought of as uninterested in the world.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780814799277
Publisher:	New York University Press
Publication date:	08/01/2005
Series:	Qualitative Studies in Psychology , #3
Pages:	304
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.88(d)

About the Author

Douglas Biklen is Professor of Cultural Foundations of Education, Teaching, and Leadership; and coordinates the Inclusive Education Program at Syracuse University. He is a senior faculty member in the Center on Disability Studies, Law and Human Policy. He is the author of Access to Academics and Contested Words, Contested Science. He was Educational Advisor for the Academy–Award–winning HBO documentary Educating Peter and is coproducer of the CNN documentary Autism is a World.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments
Introduction A Discussion of Methods
1 Framing Autism
2
I. An Introduction to Sue Rubin
II. A Conversation with Leo Kanner (by Sue Rubin)
3
I. An Introduction to Tito Rajarshi Mukhopadhyay
II. Questions and Answers (by Tito Rajarshi Mukhopadhyay and Douglas Biklen)
4
I. An Introduction to Lucy Blackman
II. Reflections on Language (by Lucy Blackman)
I. An Introduction to Larry Bissonnette
II. Letters Ordered through Typing Produce the Story of an Artist
Stranded on the Island of Autism (by Larry Bissonnette)
6
I. An Introduction to Alberto Frugone
II. Salient Moments in the Life of Alberto, as a Child, a Youth, a Young Man (by Alberto Frugone)
7
I. An Introduction to Richard Attfield
II. The Colour of Rich (by Richard Attfield)
8
I. The World as I’d Like It to Be (by Jamie Burke)
II. The Myth of the Person Alone (by Douglas Biklen)
Bibliography
Index
About the Authors

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

“The writings of Rubin, Mukhopadhyay, and all of the contributors are testament to the need to embrace a ‘disability consciousness’ in seeking educational and therapeutic options for autistic persons so that they can achieve their full potential. While Biklen refrains from extensive analysis of his contributors' words, his book is truly valuable in its straightforward presentation of the voices of autistic persons speaking not only for but as themselves.”
-Disability Studies Quarterly

,

“Disagrees with the common picture of autism, presenting chapters written by those with autism themselves—including those considered most severely disabled within the world of autism—to present a personalized view of how autism is experienced by those diagnosed. . . . A ‘must’ for any who understand the autistic experience.”
-Bookwatch

,

“Biklen’s tenacity is to be admired.”
-CHOICE

,

“The prevailing view of autism and disability is redefined in this beautifully written book. Can you ask for more than to inform, inspire, challenge, and help to create new ways of understanding? Autism and the Myth of the Person Alone forces us to confront misunderstanding, misperceptions, and lack of knowledge, and to rethink disability and autism. It demands that we embrace people who act, communicate, and socialize differently. I love this book!”
-Jan Nisbet,Director, Institute on Disability

“Austism and the Myth of the Person Alone is one of those rare professional books that causes one to pause and consider what it tells us about our literature, our field, and, perhaps, ourselves...Biklen has given us a fascinating, thoughtful and, most important, essential book by including insights, experiences, and perspectives of individuals with autism to add to the canon.”-American Association on Mental Retardation

Editorial Reviews

"The writings of Rubin, Mukhopadhyay, and all of the contributors are testament to the need to embrace a & disability consciousness in seeking educational and therapeutic options for autistic persons so that they can achieve their full potential. While Biklen refrains from extensive analysis of his contributors' words, his book is truly valuable in its straightforward presentation of the voices of autistic persons speaking not only for but as themselves."

Disability Studies Quarterly

"Biklens tenacity is to be admired."

CHOICE

"Disagrees with the common picture of autism, presenting chapters written by those with autism themselves including those considered most severely disabled within the world of autism to present a personalized view of how autism is experienced by those diagnosed... A must for any who understand the autistic experience."

Bookwatch

"The prevailing view of autism and disability is redefined in this beautifully written book. Can you ask for more than to inform, inspire, challenge, and help to create new ways of understanding? Autism and the Myth of the Person Alone forces us to confront misunderstanding, misperceptions, and lack of knowledge, and to rethink disability and autism. It demands that we embrace people who act, communicate, and socialize differently. I love this book!"

Jan Nisbet

"Austism and the Myth of the Person Alone is one of those rare professional books that causes one to pause and consider what it tells us about our literature, our field, and, perhaps, ourselves...Biklen has given us a fascinating, thoughtful and, most important, essential book by including insights, experiences, and perspectives of individuals with autism to add to the canon"

American Association on Mental Retardation

"Autism and the Myth of the Person Alone is one of those rare professional books that causes one to pause and consider what it tells us about our literature, our field, and, perhaps, ourselves... Biklen has given us a fascinating, thoughtful and, most important, essential book by including insights, experiences, and perspectives of individuals with autism to add to the canon."

American Association on Mental Retardation

"The prevailing view of autism and disability is redefined in this beautifully written book. Can you ask for more than to inform, inspire, challenge, and help to create new ways of understanding? Autism and the Myth of the Person Alone forces us to confront misunderstanding, misperceptions, and lack of knowledge, and to rethink disability and autism. It demands that we embrace people who act, communicate, and socialize differently. I love this book!"

Institute on Disability Jan Nisbet

The prevailing view of autism and disability is redefined in this beautifully written book. Can you ask for more than to inform, inspire, challenge, and help to create new ways of understanding? Autism and the Myth of the Person Alone forces us to confront misunderstanding, misperceptions, and lack of knowledge, and to rethink disability and autism. It demands that we embrace people who act, communicate, and socialize differently. I love this book!”
-Jan Nisbet,Director, Institute on Disability

From the Publisher