Autism: A Collection of Essays

Author's NoteEach of the seventeen essays published in 'Autism: A Collection of Essays' were originally published online.I wanted to publish them in a book as not everyone enjoys reading on a screen and to have something tangible to hold, make notes in or even fill up with post-it notes is something which brings so many people joy.The book is 400 pages long and that is a huge amount of reading to do via blogs!I know that so many people who have previously read the essays online (often multiple times) have been really excited to have them compiled into a book which can easily be cited, read, re-read and dipped into as and when needed.Taken together, in the new book format, these essays collectively trace how conversations around Autistic people have shifted over nearly a decade across society, culture, and academia, while also reflecting the evolution of my own thinking as I have written, learned, challenged and argued, listened, reflected and grown.In that sense, the book becomes a kind of map of the discourse itself: where we started, what needed to change, what has shifted, and what still urgently needs to change if experiences and life outcomes for ALL Autistic people are to genuinely improve.Blurb from the back cover:These essays gather my most widely read and cited articles, tracking the shifting landscape of Autistic identity and the forces that have tried to shape it.They expose inherited stories, name unseen worlds, and map the movement from survival to belonging. Moving from explanation to emergence, from critique to possibility, these pieces challenge the narratives that define autism, Autistic people, and Neurodiversity.Together, they chart an evolution in thought that continues to influence practice, unsettle assumptions, and reshape the conversations that matter.With a Foreword from Dr Amy Pearson."This collection is not simply about autism; it’s an invitation to examine how our systems produce or withhold humanity. Kieran’s work is simultaneously analytic and tender, this is an offering that expands our capacity to think, feel, and act differently." - Virginia Spielmann, OTR/L, PhD, Executive Director, STAR Institute Read more