Emerald Studies in Workplace Neurodiversity – serie

Generation A is the half-million individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) who will reach adulthood in the next decade and be ready to enter the workforce.Generation A: Research on Autism in the Workplace is the first volume in the Emerald Studies in Workplace Neurodiversity Series. The book brings together scholars, practitioners, and educators to share their research on Autism in the workplace with a particular emphasis on Generation A. This book explores ways that researchers can help facilitate finding and maintaining employment for individuals with ASD by focusing on the transition, work, and career experiences of Generation A.This volume offers researchers, educators, and practitioners several avenues for smoothing the transition from educational settings into the workplace for a generational cohort who are poised to enter the labor market, eager to work, and wish to achieve positive work and life outcomes. This book provides several contributions to both the disability literature and research on neurodiversity in the workplace, has the potential to reduce the stigma associated with ASD, change image norms surrounding ASD, and facilitate integrating individuals with ASD into the workforce.This book will be a valuable resource for individuals with ASD, organizations interested in obtaining the benefits of hiring people with ASD, and advocacy groups supporting the transition and employment needs of individuals with ASD.

Providing several new contributions to both the disabilities literature and research on special populations and international perspectives on Generation A, this book explores ways that researchers can help facilitate finding and maintaining employment for individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). The chapters included in this volume are organized and presented along two themes.The first theme, Special Populations Affected by Generation A, explores the experiences of special populations within the generational cohort of Generation A. Chapters in this section of the book explore the growth of STEM occupations and how this growth may create opportunities for the women of Generation A. Other chapters in this section examine the career and life effects of being a parent of a young adult with ASD, the role of allies in supporting the efforts of young adults with ASD to find and maintain successful employment, and the unique career experiences of individuals with ASD in the legal profession.The second theme, International Research on Generation A, explores the experiences of Generation A from an international perspective. The countries represented are India, Great Britain, Ireland, and Trinidad and Tobago. These chapters explore various ways that individuals with ASD and members of Generation A are being included in organizations in these countries. The legal issues associated with hiring individuals with ASD, as well as efforts by Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) to facilitate their employment, are also presented.

Neurodivergent individuals frequently face distinct challenges within creative fields such as music, literature, performance, media, and the visual arts. Recognising how their experiences intersect with creative expression and employment is essential, not only to support individual potential but also to expand our understanding of inclusivity in these fields. The perspectives of neurodivergent creatives bring valuable insights into the often-hidden challenges and strengths within a set of industries driven by innovation and diversity.Creative Minds, Divergent Paths delves into the intricate relationship between neurodivergence and the creative industries, asking whether these individuals should be seen as “neurodivergent creatives” or “creative neurodivergents.” Through a blend of literature critique and original research, this work explores employment in the music and literary industries as well as in performance, media, and the visual arts. Lovesey incorporates lived experiences to reveal the tensions and potentials within creative fields, considering how these industries can be more inclusive. The study also examines the precarity of employment in creative sectors, as well as academia, where short-term work arrangements impact neurodivergent individuals’ stability and success. By examining stereotypes, definitions, and individual experiences, this work ultimately advocates for a democratic and community-driven approach to neurodiversity.Presenting a rich resource for scholars, creative professionals, and anyone invested in understanding the intersection of neurodiversity and creativity, the book invites readers to reimagine inclusivity in the arts and employment. Ultimately, using the creative industries as the means for shaping new narratives of neurodivergence, by neurodivergent creatives.