A father's inspiring portrait of his daughter informs this classic reassessment of the "epidemic" of autism.
When Isabel Grinker was diagnosed with autism in 1994, it occurred in only about 3 of every 10,000 children. Within ten years, rates had skyrocketed. Some scientists reported rates as high as 1 in 150. The media had declared autism an epidemic.
Unstrange Minds documents the global quest of Isabel's father, renowned anthropologist Roy Richard Grinker, to discover the surprising truth about why autism is so much more common today. In fact, there is no autism epidemic. Rather, we are experiencing an increase in autism diagnoses, and Grinker shows that the identification and treatment of autism depends on culture just as much as it does on science. Filled with moving stories and informed by the latest science, Unstrange Minds is a powerful testament to a father's search for the truth.
Roy Richard Grinker is Professor of Anthropology and Director, George Washington University Institute for Ethnographic Research. He is the author of four other books, including the widely acclaimed In the Arms of Africa: The Life of Colin M. Turnbull. He lectures widely at universities and to parents and professionals involved in autism. He lives in Cabin John, Maryland.
Table of Contents
Introduction: Bringing Autism into Focus 1 Part 1 One in Three Hundred 23 Theme and Variation: The "Discovery" of Autism 37 Stigma, Shame, and Secrets 67 Blaming Mothers 85 The Rise of Diagnosis 103 Autism by the Book 123 Autism by the Numbers 143 Part 2 Isabel in Monet's Garden 175 Igloos in India 197 Breaking the Rules 215 Half Past Winter in South Korea 229 Becoming Visible 251 Getting in Tune 263 Beyond the Curve 283 Acknowledgments 303 Notes 307 References 317 Index 329
