'Groundbreaking ... [provides] a deep history of the invention of
the "normal" mind as one of the most damaging and
oppressive tools of capitalism. To read it is to see the world more
clearly' Steve Silberman, author of NeuroTribes
'Argues that a
radical politics of neurodiversity is necessary, not only for
neurodivergent folk, but for our collective liberation' Professor Hel
Spandler, editor, Asylum magazine
'A vital book
that kindles the flames of a neurodivergent revolution' Beatrice
Adler-Bolton, co-author of Health
Communism
Neurodiversity
is on the rise. Awareness and diagnoses have exploded in recent
years, but we are still missing a wider understanding of how we got
here and why. Beyond simplistic narratives of normativity and
difference, this groundbreaking book exposes the very myth of the
'normal' brain as a product of intensified capitalism.
Exploring
the rich histories of the neurodiversity and disability movements,
Robert Chapman shows how the rise of capitalism created an 'empire of
normality' that transformed our understanding of the body into that
of a productivity machine. Neurodivergent liberation is possible -
but only by challenging the deepest logics of capitalism. Empire
of Normality is an
essential guide to understanding the systems that shape our bodies,
minds and deepest selves - and how we can undo them.