Customer Reviews

Constructing Autism: Unravelling the 'Truth' and Understanding the Social

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Majia Nadesan's book on autism is one that must be read before or in conjuction with existing works on the subject; particularly research that emphasizes the biological nature of the disease. Nadesan's book offers those diagnosed with autism and their families a much greater chance of mediating autistic characteristics by focusing on culture and society as factors that contribute to the construction of the affliction.

The overpowering result of Nadesan's research, in my opinion, is that medical science itself, ironically, is circumscribed by society's refusal or inability to recognize it's own role in creating and treating illnesses such as autism. Nadesan's rationale that autism (or any mental illness for that matter) is created through society's verbal and symbolic articulation of the illness as well as one's genetic history allows science and society to work in concert rather than in opposition.

As both a researcher and the mother of an "autistic" child, Nadesan's work offers a much more balanced and insightful understanding of autism and its implications for society.