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Centre for Culture and the Arts
Dr James McGrath’s research project on Naming Adult Autism passionately argues for greater dialogue between the sciences and humanities towards further understandings of autistic adulthood.
To understand autistic adulthood better, there needs to be greater dialogue between the sciences and humanities. Harmful stereotypes are problematic for autistic adults. For this reason, Dr McGrath’s book, Naming Adult Autism, advocates the critical study of how autism is depicted across literature, film and mass media.
The Approach
Dr McGrath passionately argues for greater dialogue between the sciences and humanities towards further understandings of autistic adulthood.
His work, including his teaching, also explores further intersections of culture and medicine. Naming Adult Autism explores changing meanings of autism via novels (Forster; Coupland; Atwood), poetry (Murray; Limburg), television (The Office) and popular music (The Who’s Tommy). In a chapter applying literary critical approaches to the leading scientific research on autism, the book uncovers flaws in much-publicized findings and associated questionnaires.
I agree we shouldn’t assume autistic talents only emerge in STEM subjects. According to the hyper-systemising theory, autistic talents can emerge in any field where patterns can be analysed (e.g. history, literature, drama, comedy, film, and arts & crafts)
The Impact
Dr James McGrath’s book Naming Adult Autism: Culture, Science, Identity is a literary critique of how autism is narrated both in culture and in science. Published by Rowman & Littlefield International in 2017, it is one of the first academic books on the topic to be authored by an adult diagnosed autistic. Naming Adult Autism experiments with the academic book as both a scholarly and literary form. The first chapter, ‘Outsider Science’, uncovers a series of oversights both in diagnostic questionnaires and in ongoing surveys of autistic traits among the general population. The fourth chapter, ‘Title’, experiments with minimalism as an academic tool, and consists of a three-line poem.
Based on his experiences as an adult diagnosed autistic and his research output on autism, McGrath’s impact has led to changes in:
Naming Adult Autism: Dr James McGrath in conversation with Kelly-Anne Watson This conversation was filmed on Thursday 7 November 2017 as part of a programme of events coordinated by our university's Disability Action Group to mark UK Disability History Month. James shares his insights and experiences of autism, covering topics such as the language of disability and portrayals of autism in media and society.
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