The Politics of Autism

Navigating The Contested Spectrum

By (author) John J. Pitney Jr.

Not available to order

Publication date:

06 August 2015

Length of book:

180 pages

Publisher

Rowman & Littlefield Publishers

ISBN-13: 9781442249615

In the first book devoted exclusively to the contentious politics of autism, noted political scientist and public policy expert John J. Pitney, Jr., explains how autism has evolved into a heated political issue disputed by scientists, educators, social workers, and families. Nearly everything about autism is subject to debate and struggle, including its measurement and definition. Organizational attempts to deal with autism have resulted in not a single “autism policy,” but a vast array of policies at the federal, state, and local levels, which often leave people with autism and their families frustrated and confused.

Americans with autism are citizens, friends, coworkers, sons, daughters, fathers, and mothers. No longer simply the objects of public policy, they are active participants in current policy debates. Pitney’s fascinating look at how public policy is made and implemented offers networks of concerned parents, educators, and researchers a compass to navigate the current systems and hope for a path towards more regularized and effective policies for America’s autism community.


Pitneys research presents a picture of a bureaucratic and political disaster, a potential 'tsunami'(p. 108) for families living with autism as these children get older and struggle to secure appropriate employment and housing services. He suggests that while the politics of autism is defined by the uncertainty of the condition, and while autism is also defined by various discourses surrounding the condition, what is missing is the 'voice of the rank and file'(p. 122)autistic individuals themselves. For those who are concerned about the life chances of autistic individuals and want to understand the difficulties of attaining equal life chances for autistic individuals, this book is of great benefit.