Mad Scholars
Reclaiming and Reimagining the Neurodiverse Academy

Melanie Jones (Edited by), Shayda Kafai (Edited by), Sav Schlauderaff (Contributions by), Shawna Guenther (Contributions by), Rebecca Eli Long (Contributions by), Jess L. Wilcox Cowing (Contributions by), Sydney F. Lewis (Contributions by), Leah Lakshmi Piepzna-Samarsinha (Contributions by), Melanie Jones (Contributions by), Caché Owens (Contributions by), Sarah Cavar (Contributions by), Rua Williams (Contributions by), Kelan Koning (Contributions by), Liz Miller (Contributions by), Samuel Z. Shelton (Contributions by), Pau Abustan (Contributions by), A-M McManaman (Contributions by), Jesse Rice-Evans (Contributions by), Andréa Stella (Contributions by), Sarah Smith (Contributions by), Grace Wedlake (Contributions by), Sarah Arvey Tov (Contributions by), Kimberly Fernandes (Contributions by), Diane R. Wiener (Contributions by), Holly Pearson (Contributions by), Shayda Kafai (Contributions by)

9780815638476

Hardback, published 15 August 2024

396 pages
22.9 x 15.2 x 1.6 cm, 0.748 kg

We have lots of personal experience, and lots of scholarship, showing us how ableist academia is and has always been. But this collection instead reveals the power and potential of disabled academics, who are already reshaping and reimagining higher education. This power is reflected in the diverse methods and forms across these twenty-three chapters; this potential can be harnessed by readers like you." — Jay Dolmage, author of Disability Rhetoric

"Mad Scholars critiques academic culture’s entrenched ableism and sanism and shows how difficult—still—it is to be recognized as having a positive, credible, valuable Mad subjectivity. The diverse voices in this book give us pathways for leading with care, both for ourselves and others. They reimagine academia. They tell us that our institutions can do better. This is a collection we need." — Elizabeth Brewer, Central Connecticut State University

As universities rethink their approach to student and faculty mental health, Mad Scholar showcases academics who proudly embrace the label of the "mad scholar." In twenty-three essays from contributors working in nearly a dozen disciplines across three continents, the volume explores the infinite richness of neurodivergent scholars’ lived experiences, centering their stories in opposition to hegemonic sanism and ableism in the academy. These essays, valuable to any "mad scholar" at any point in their career, highlight the challenges of simply existing within the traditional university model as well as showcase celebrations of community building, self-identification, and connection with students.

A corrective for neurodivergent scholars too used to having their experiences and stories told for them, this collection examines how a more open-minded administrative approach to academics who identify at the intersection of various marginalized identities would be a boon both to students and faculty. The essays provide an opportunity to envision a more hopeful, inclusive, and optimistic view of university culture and pedagogy, while offering concrete steps and strategies that radically reimagine the current landscape. Mad Scholars boldly dreams of a better future for anyone who claims the label, seeking to find fellowship, accommodation, and acceptance both within and outside of academia.