[Air-L] [selfie] Announcing "Kids Across the Spectrums: Growing Up Autistic in the Digital Age" (MIT Press)

[Alper, Meryl]

Hi all,

(Apologies if you’ve already seen this announcement cross-posted on other listservs.)

I’m delighted to share that my latest book, Kids Across the Spectrums: Growing Up Autistic in the Digital Age<https://mitpress.mit.edu/9780262545365/kids-across-the-spectrums/>, is out today from MIT Press. You can read a free open access version made available through MIT Press’ Direct to Open program here<https://direct.mit.edu/books/oa-monograph/5626/Kids-Across-the-SpectrumsGrowing-Up-Autistic-in>. If you order through Penguin Random House<https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/730897/kids-across-the-spectrums-by-meryl-alper/>, you can get 15% off with the discount code READMIT15 (More information here<https://mitpress.mit.edu/discount-codes/>).

Kids Across the Spectrums explores how societal perceptions, technological advancements, and educational practices have shaped the lives of young people on the autism spectrum, based on in-depth ethnographic research spanning several years.

I shed light on the unique strengths and talents that neurodivergent youth possess, as well as the day-to-day obstacles that they face online and offline, particularly those socially marginalized in additional respects.

Moreover, the book challenges preconceived notions and theories of what “social” media and technology use looks like in a hypermediated era and invites readers to view neurodiversity through a lens of understanding, acceptance, and empowerment.

If you’re interested in supporting Kids Across the Spectrums, you can do so in multiple ways:

  *   Buy the book (MIT Press<https://mitpress.mit.edu/9780262545365/kids-across-the-spectrums/>, Amazon<https://www.amazon.com/Kids-Across-Spectrums-Growing-Autistic/dp/0262545365>, Bookshop.org<https://bookshop.org/p/books/kids-across-the-spectrums-growing-up-autistic-in-the-digital-age-meryl-alper/20224821>)
  *   Read the free open access version<https://direct.mit.edu/books/oa-monograph/5626/Kids-Across-the-SpectrumsGrowing-Up-Autistic-in>
  *   Review it on Amazon<https://www.amazon.com/Kids-Across-Spectrums-Growing-Autistic/dp/0262545365> and Goodreads<https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/63365610-kids-across-the-spectrums>
  *   Share your interest in the book with friends, family, colleagues, and on social media
  *   Assign chapters from the book in your courses
  *   Support the work of our fantastic cover artists, Jen White-Johnson<https://jenwhitejohnson.com/>

I’m happy to speak about the book and its themes at events/meetings and with journalists — feel free to drop me a line at m.alper at northeastern.edu<mailto:m.alper at northeastern.edu>. Looking forward to continued and future conversations about building a more inclusive, accessible, and just world.

Best,
Meryl

Upcoming Talks and Events:

August 23: Children and Screens, Institute for Media and Child Development (Virtual)
September 8: Keynote Address at MediaPsych Conference, Luxembourg
September 21: Boston Medical Center, Department of Developmental & Behavioral Pediatrics, Boston, MA
October 10: NYU/Tech Kids Unlimited (Virtual)
October 18-22: Association of Internet Researchers (AoIR) Conference, Philadelphia, PA
October 25: Rutgers University (Virtual)
May 1: University of Washington, Seattle, WA

Recent Press and Media:

NGN Magazine<https://news.northeastern.edu/2023/08/03/magazine/autism-stereotypes-kids-across-spectrums-book/>, “A new book shatters stereotypes about autism and technology”
Critical Technology Podcast<https://kmdi.utoronto.ca/the-critical-technology-podcast/#pod-s2ep1>, “Kids across the spectrums”
Women’s Health Magazine<https://www.womenshealthmag.com/life/a40541814/disability-tiktok-creators/>, “How a community of TikTokers is debunking disability, one viral video at a time”

Meryl Alper
Associate Professor
Department of Communication Studies
Northeastern University
Holmes 217
m.alper at northeastern.edu<mailto:m.alper at northeastern.edu>
merylalper.com<http://merylalper.com/>