Reach for the stars

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Emily Dickinson. Nikola Tesla. Michelangelo. James Joyce. Alan Turing.

All of these famous figures (and many more) have one thing in common: modern researchers consider them to have been neurodiverseDiversity in the human brain and cognition. It refers to the idea that people interact with the world around them in different ways. .

Now, perhaps, we have a new star to add to the wall of fame. Jason Arday, diagnosed at a very young age with autismA condition characterised by difficulty in social interaction and communication. According to the World Health Organisation, 1 in 160 children has an autism disorder. and global development delayA term used when a child takes longer to reach certain development milestones than other children their age. This might include learning to walk or talk, movement skills, learning new things and interacting with others socially and emotionally., was unable to speak until the age of 11 or write and read until the age of 18. Now, he is set to become Cambridge University's youngest ever Black professor.

This was not the only barrier that Arday faced: he has been open about the racism and classism he came up against in academia as a Black man raised in a disadvantaged area.¹

Arday had trained as a PE teacher before he decided that he wanted to pursue a PhD and become a sociologistSomeone who studies human social behaviour. Modern sociology was developed by European thinkers in the 19th century, but it is also based on the writings of African American thinkers like W. E. B. DuBois.. Despite being "violently rejected" early on due to his lack of background in academia, he is now one of its rising stars.

It is a testament to the endless possibilities of the human mind. But Arday's story also highlights the plight of those unfairly overlooked by the education system due to neurodevelopmental conditions.

Schooling is "built for the neurotypical mind," assert experts, who point out that neurodiverse people are statistically more likely to deal with burnout, less likely to find standardised education helpful, and less likely to pursue higher education directly after school.²

The term "neurodiversity" was coined in 1998 by the sociologist Judy Singer, who rejected existing dogmaBelief which is not open for discussion. It comes from a Greek word meaning "decree". that all neurodevelopmental disorders should be pathologisedTreat something as medically or psychologically abnormal. and their hosts "cured". For Singer, we should stop thinking about neurodiverse brains as somehow "wrong", and focus on the social barriers that "turn difference into disability and exclusion".

For most of history, people with neurodevelopmental conditions had been excluded from formal education. In the UK, schooling for disabled children only became compulsory thanks to the 1918 Education Act, and provisions were still poor.

Prior to this, it was assumed that many neurodiverse people could not benefit from education at all, even though researchers had started to notice that neurodevelopmental conditions did not equate to being unskilled, but often merely skilled in different ways.

One of the earliest case studies of autism was a 59-year-old man from Massachusetts in 1846 who, though considered intellectually incapacitated and unable to verbally communicate, had perfect pitch and could recite more than 200 tunes from memory.

A 20th century study also described a series of "case studies" of neurodiverse men who often struggled with verbal communication and cues, but were exceptionally gifted at music, mathematics or artistry.

A quote often misattributed to Einstein has it that "everybody is a genius, but if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid". Einstein himself only learned to speak at the age of six, so it is a believable conclusion.

And, regardless, it holds water. Neurodiverse people report widespread discrimination in education, and may struggle to have their specific needs met in the classroom. Some will say that the case of Jason Arday proves that when we invest in inclusive education, our potential is limitless.

Yes: If we apply ourselves and give every individual equal opportunities, human potential is limitless. Furthermore, our collective potential is unimaginable when we embrace the diversity within our society.

No: Every person is different. Some people can definitely overcome barriers to achieve unbelievable feats. But some think it could be offensive to imply that people with some disabilities or chronic illnesses have "limitless" potential, because some conditions can stay limiting and debilitating for your whole life.

Or... We do all have limitless potential, but this potential does not have to be in your career. It is not necessary for us all to aspire to become Cambridge professors in order to see ourselves as successful.