Autism in a Decentered World

Autism in a Decentered World explores how autistic individuals are often generalized as living in a fragmented, alternate reality, lacking a coherent continuous self. In Part I, this book presents recent neuropsychological research and its implications for existing theories of autism, selfhood, and identity. It challenges common assumptions about the formation and structure of the autistic self and its relationship to neurotypicality.

Part II delves into case studies, examining how artists diagnosed with autism have constructed their identities through participation in art communities and cultures. It discusses how the concept of self as a ‘story’ can be used to better understand the neurological differences between autism and typical cognition.

This book will be of particular interest to researchers and scholars in the fields of Disability Studies, Art Education, and Art Therapy.