Great is our Sin: Neuroprivilege in Modern Autism Discourse

Disability and Neurorhetorics have taken significant strides in unpacking disabling language and discourse within modern autism studies. The rhetoric of science has determined multiple useful strategies for isolating the mechanisms by which these discursive paradigms operate. However, less attention has been devoted to the origin of theories suggesting that observed differences in autistic behavior necessarily indicate deficiencies in cognitive ability. Rigorous work demonstrating propagation and dissemination of these concepts through time within disciplinary publishing is needed to expose how flawed ontological perspectives on neurotype can integrate themselves into neuroscientific practice. This work employs lexical and visual enthymeme analysis to explore how driving, value-laden premises behind disablist language can become accepted as legitimate scientific 'facts' considered foundational within a discipline.

Level thesis:degree_level

Doctorate Degree

Year dc:date.issued

2019

Author dc:creator

• DeGraffenreid, Lauren J.

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Olman, Lynda C.

Committee members dc:contributor.committeemember

• Thorkildson, Diane
• Miller, Elisabeth
• Webber, James
• Vigil, Debra

• Autism Studies
• Enthymeme
• Neuroprivilege
• Neurorhetoric
• Neuroscience
• Theory of Mind

Handle dc:identifier.uri

http://hdl.handle.net/11714/6748

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:scholarwolf.unr.edu:11714/6748