'Groundbreaking ... [provides] a deep history of the invention of the "normal" mind as one of
the most damaging and oppressive tools of capitalism. To read it is to see the world more
clearly' Steve Silberman author of NeuroTribes 'Argues that a radical politics of
neurodiversity is necessary not only for neurodivergent folk but for our collective
liberation' Professor Hel Spandler editor Asylum magazine 'A vital book that kindles the
flames of a neurodivergent revolution' Beatrice Adler-Bolton co-author of Health Communism
Neurodiversity is on the rise. Awareness and diagnoses have exploded in recent years but we
are still missing a wider understanding of how we got here and why. Beyond simplistic
narratives of normativity and difference this groundbreaking book exposes the very myth of the
'normal' brain as a product of intensified capitalism. Exploring the rich histories of the
neurodiversity and disability movements Robert Chapman shows how the rise of capitalism
created an 'empire of normality' that transformed our understanding of the body into that of a
productivity machine. Neurodivergent liberation is possible - but only by challenging the
deepest logics of capitalism. Empire of Normality is an essential guide to understanding the
systems that shape our bodies minds and deepest selves - and how we can undo them. Robert
Chapman is a neurodivergent philosopher who has taught at King's College London and Bristol
University. They are currently Assistant Professor in Critical Neurodiversity Studies at Durham
University. They blog at Psychology Today and at Critical Neurodiversity .
