Mad Scholars: Reclaiming and Reimagining the Neurodiverse Academy

As universities rethink their approaches to student and faculty mental health, this volume showcases academics who openly and proudly embrace the identity of ＂Mad scholar.＂ In twenty-three essays--from contributors working in nearly a dozen disciplines and across three continents--Mad Scholars explores how neurodivergent scholars’ work and lived experiences are richer because of their difference, not in spite of it. In doing so, these essays both expose the deep-rooted ableism that undergirds traditional mental health interventions and envision a more rigorous, more inclusive, and more outward-facing future for scholarly community and engagement, within and outside traditional academia.

A long-awaited corrective by scholars accustomed to having their stories told for them, this collection draws on Mad perspectives at the intersection of various marginalized identities, boldly dreaming of a future where all students and educators can thrive. By offering concrete steps and strategies that radically reimagine the current academic landscape, Mad Scholars opens our eyes to much-needed innovations in research, pedagogy, and community, ones which promise to transform higher education and create vital paths for scholarly innovation.

Melanie Jones is a faculty member at Bard College in the Bard Prison Initiative program. She has a PhD in comparative literature, and her work has appeared in such journals as the Victorian Review.

Shayda Kafai is assistant professor of ethnic and women’s studies at California State Polytechnic University. Her work has appeared in the Journal of Lesbian Studies and Women’s Studies Quarterly.