Exploring Neurodiversity Narratives in Literature

Abstract

The concept of neurodiversity has significantly transformed contemporary understandings of neurological difference by challenging deficit-based frameworks that historically dominated medical and cultural discourse. Rather than conceptualizing autism, ADHD, dyslexia, and related cognitive variations as pathological conditions requiring correction, the neurodiversity paradigm recognizes them as natural expressions of human diversity. This article examines how literature contributes to the cultural negotiation of neurodivergence and explores the ethical implications of literary representation. Drawing upon insights from disability studies and narrative ethics, the study analyses how literary texts construct meanings around cognitive difference and influence readers’ perceptions of neurodivergent individuals. Using texts like Mark Haddon’s The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, Graeme Simsion’s The Rosie Project, Naoki Higashida’s The Reason I Jump, Temple Grandin’s Thinking in Pictures, and Corinne Duyvis’s On the Edge of Gone the article demonstrates how contemporary literature increasingly foregrounds neurodivergent subjectivity and lived experience. At the same time, the study highlights continuing challenges related to stereotyping, intersectionality, and narrative authority. The article argues that literature functions not merely as a reflection of cultural attitudes but as a powerful site where new understandings of cognitive diversity can emerge. By promoting inclusive storytelling and ethical representation, literary narratives can contribute to broader social efforts toward cognitive justice and cultural inclusion.