Neurodiversity and Autism Advocacy
I am unsure of my emotions regarding this research project: SpringerLink - Health Care Analysis, Online First™ HEALTH CARE ANALYSIS DOI: 10.1007/s10728-011-0169-9 Autism as a Natural Human Variation: Reflections on the Claims of the Neurodiversity Movement Pier Jaarsma and Stellan Welin Neurodiversity has remained a controversial concept over the last decade. In its broadest sense the concept of neurodiversity regards atypical neurological development as a normal human difference. The neurodiversity claim contains at least two different aspects. The first aspect is that autism, among other neurological conditions, is first and foremost a natural variation. The other aspect is about conferring rights and in particular value to the neurodiversity condition, demanding recognition and acceptance. Autism can be seen as a natural variation on par with for example homosexuality. The broad version of the neurodiversity claim, covering low-functioning as well as high-functioning autism,