The Autism Era : The Contentious Politics of a Diagnosis

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 rampant investment in scientific research and technological innovation related to autism spectrum disorder, but this frenzied activity has so far failed to produce certainty about causes or remediation. Kristin Bumiller explains this failure, first, by tracing Autism's emergence amidst major changes to the medical profession, as well as to the role of parents over the 20th century. The policy landscape that developed around autism informed changes in special education and the widespread adoption of therapeutic technologies for treatment. Bumiller exposes the interplay between these trends and the growing financial investment in autism research, which has led to a generalized disenchantment with the enterprise among those most affected – parents and caretakers.

  This clear-eyed account of how we've gotten to this point cuts through the noise of controversy that has always shrouded autism studies, in order to make a prediction: that this era of autism has come to an end. Against the backdrop of a still-growing infrastructure of this scientific project – in the form on research organizations, applied behavior analysis therapy centers, and advocacy groups – Bumiller points to a nascent reckoning with this project's failure. The Autism Era is a call for a new movement, that brings about more justice for the disabled through more equitable and expansive state support.