Neurodivergent Studies – Popular Culture Association 2027

“Neurodivergent just means a brain that diverges.” – Kassiane Asasumasu, Radical Neurodivergence Speaking

Neurodivergent Studies at the PCA offers a chance for scholars to have conversations about how neurodivergent approaches to popular culture, fandom, academia, and our own experiences can shape the way we approach the world. Neurodivergent Studies promotes a very open approach to the subject, following in the footsteps of Kassiane Asasumasu, who is credited with coining the term “neurodivergent.” Kassiane specifically notes that neurodivergent “is not another damn tool of exclusion. It is specifically a tool of inclusion. If you don’t want to be associated with Those People, then YOU are the one who needs another word. Neurodivergent is for all of us” (sherlocksflataffect).

Following Asasamasu’s leadership, Neurodivergent Studies invites papers on the following topics:

• Neurodivergence in popular media
• Neurodivergence and/or madness
• Neurodivergence and/or disability
• Neurodivergence and self/diagnosis
• Neurodivergence and the social disability model
• Neurodivergence and eugenics
• Neurodivergence and intersectionality
• Neurodivergence and race/racism
• Neurodivergence and gender identity
• Neuroqueer theory
• Neurodivergent pedagogy
• Neurodivergence in the academy
• Neurodivergent activism
• Neurodivergent community

For the Boston 2027 conference, the PCA is running the theme “Revolutions & Revisions in Popular Culture.” ND Studies provides a wealth of ways to approach this topic, including focuses on questions of transformation, reinterpretation, innovation, resistance, adaptation, or cultural change. Theme-related proposals are welcome but not required, and all submissions relevant to the area will receive full consideration.

Neurodivergent Studies welcomes paper proposals, roundtable proposals, or cross-listed panels with other PCA areas. Submissions are due October 31. Proposals can be submitted at https://pcaaca.org/page/submissionguidelines and you can contact area chair Victoria Etman at colleenetman@gmail.com with any questions!

We look forward to seeing you in Boston!