Inclusive of autistic and other neurodivergent voices, the DIVERG. podcast exists to bridge the gap between specialized knowledge and everyday parenting. We bring together forward-thinking experts who champion neuroaffirming and developmentally-based approaches to therapy, education, and life, while addressing the systemic challenges that families and individuals face in environments not designed for diverse minds. Insight by insight, we are building community and making space for all kinds of minds.
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Inclusive of autistic and other neurodivergent voices, the DIVERG. podcast exists to bridge the gap between specialized knowledge and everyday parenting. We bring together forward-thinking experts who champion neuroaffirming and developmentally-based approaches to therapy, education, and life, while addressing the systemic challenges that families and individuals face in environments not designed for diverse minds. Insight by insight, we are building community and making space for all kinds of minds.
Episode 12: Moving Beyond Rhetoric: How Branding and Capitalism Shaped Autism as We Know It
The DIVERG. Podcast
1 hour 4 minutes
7 months ago
Episode 12: Moving Beyond Rhetoric: How Branding and Capitalism Shaped Autism as We Know It
Dr. Alicia A. Broderick, Professor of Education
In this thought-provoking episode, I sit down with Dr. Alicia A. Broderick to unpack how branding, capitalism, and cultural narratives have shaped our modern understanding of autism. Dr. Broderick, a professor of education and a leading voice in critical disability studies, challenges us to reconsider how autism has been constructed in public discourse—and who benefits from those constructions.
We explore why it's vital to move beyond surface-level inclusion rhetoric and start asking deeper questions about the systems we're participating in. What if autism isn't a "problem" to be solved but a neurotype to be understood? What if the way we talk about autism is more about marketing than truth?
This conversation is equal parts grounding and radical, rooted in academic rigor but fully accessible to anyone willing to reexamine their assumptions. Whether you're a parent, educator, practitioner, or just someone curious about how narratives shape lived experience—this episode will leave you with more questions, and the courage to start asking them.
The Autism Industrial Complex [https://www.amazon.com/Autism-Industrial-Complex-Marketing-Investment/dp/1975501853]
Raising Awareness of the AIC [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-fxzfuvuek4&t=336s]
The DIVERG. Podcast
Inclusive of autistic and other neurodivergent voices, the DIVERG. podcast exists to bridge the gap between specialized knowledge and everyday parenting. We bring together forward-thinking experts who champion neuroaffirming and developmentally-based approaches to therapy, education, and life, while addressing the systemic challenges that families and individuals face in environments not designed for diverse minds. Insight by insight, we are building community and making space for all kinds of minds.
