Critical Neurodiversity Studies: Directions/Intersections/Contradictions
24–26 June 2025, Durham University, UK
Deadline for submissions: 28 February 2025
While traditional theory describes the world, critical theory seeks to radically transform it. This conference seeks to harness the momentum of the new generation of neurodivergent scholar activists working collectively towards a critical turn in neurodiversity theory and research.
While the first wave of neurodiversity studies has begun to instigate a shift towards the emerging neurodiversity paradigm, it has nonetheless tended to focus on autism at the exclusion of the broader manifold of neurodivergence. Moreover, the institutional embrace of neurodiversity has heavily focused on the psy-disciplines rather than approaches grounded in the arts, humanities, and critical social theory.
At the same time, we have also seen the rise of neurodiversity-lite, where neoliberal institutions rebrand using neurodiversity paradigm vocabularies without making meaningful changes or commitments to neurodivergent liberation.
This major international conference seeks to help clarify critical neurodiversity studies as a departure from both first wave neurodiversity studies and especially the neurodiversity-lite paradigm. We understand this intervention as arising primarily through arts, humanities, and social sciences approaches, grounded in the various traditions of critical theory and aimed at liberatory praxis rather than knowledge production alone.
We will focus on scholarship that synthesises a concern for neurodivergent liberation with other critical traditions and liberation movements globally. For example, we are interested in neurodivergent-led materialist, decolonial, indigenous, Black, Marxian, queer, trans, mad, feminist, and related interventions that go beyond an essentialist identity and reformist-based approach to neurodiversity theory and praxis.
Possible topics might include, but are not limited to:
- The possibility of a critical turn in neurodiversity studies
- Neurodiversity and critical theory
- Neurodiversity and Marxism
- Global South perspectives on neurodiversity
- Neurodiversity and the Black radical tradition
- Cross-cultural neurodiversity
- Neurotypical supremacy and neurotypical identity politics
- Neurodivergent research methods and creative practice
- Arts-based practices, such as dance/performance art
- Disciplinary and/or institutional change
- Neurodiversity and social reproduction theory
- Neurodivergent frameworks for literary/cultural analysis
- Neurodiversity, mad pride, and mad studies
- Perspectives on disability justice
- Temporary and/or acquired forms of neurodivergence
- Neurodiversity and Personality Disorder constructs
- Neurodivergent ablenationalism
- Neuroqueer and neurotrans approaches
- Strategies for organising and liberation
- Neurodivergent unionising and class struggle
This conference will be fully hybrid and there will be no registration fee. We encourage in-person attendance for speakers and we are committed to making the conference space as accessible as possible. There will also be the option to present and attend online. Participants can present their research not just as traditional academic papers but also in other formats that may be more accessible to the presenter and audience, including through performance or creative practice. Individual research papers/performances will be limited to 20 minutes, but there is some flexibility when it comes to pre-formed panel proposals as to how the 90-minute slot is structured by the panel.
We will be offering a number of bursaries and fellowship opportunities to attend and to prepare work for this conference, including funding for participants from Lower- and Middle-Income countries to attend in-person.
Please submit abstracts of up to 300 words in writing or a video/voice recording of up to 3 minutes in length for an individual paper using the Critical Neurodiversity Studies abstract submission form.
The deadline for submissions is 28th February 2025. You may also submit pre-formed panels of 3-4 persons through this form.
Please indicate on the form whether you are interested in the bursary and fellowship opportunities.
This event is part of the 2024/25 Critical Neurodiversity Studies takeover of the Measurement Lab of the Discovery Research Platform co-led by Louise Creechan and Robert Chapman. It is co-badged with the Neurodivergent Humanities Network.
Any queries about the conference can be sent to imh.events@durham.ac.uk.
