"Confessions of the Miner's Canary" is an autobiographical account of one young man's struggle to find a place in society, given his specific learning difficulties and co-morbid psycho-motor impairments. Moreover, it is a memoir that aims to make a statement about society's structures and institutions. In this way, the authorship of this book accords with a popular motto in the field of disability studies, which states "nothing about us, without us". In accordance with the social model of disability, author Allan White utilizes a combination of autobiography and reflective scholarship to highlight the many disabling barriers he has encountered, making his way in society. The author further illustrates how neurodiverse adults have come to represent a new sector of disability in our current neoliberal global capitalist age. It is the author's intent to not only raise awareness of neurodiversity, but to promote a fundamentally different paradigm on the matter-a paradigm grounded in social interpretations of disability, which seek not only to combat the marginalization of the disabled, but also create a more humane and civilized society for the benefit of all. As such, the plight of the neurodiverse is an issue that should concern all of humanity. Hence it is the author's contention that discourse on neurodiversity should emphasize systemic social reforms, aimed at remove disabling barriers in society. In the final analysis, Mr.White argues that an unconditional basic income could potentially be an effective catalyst to promote niche construction and self determination among neurodiverse adults. In this way, such a policy may well be the most critical initial step toward achieving a neurodiverse friendly culture and society.
About the Author: Author Allan White, MA is an independent scholar, focusing on experimental archaeology and disability studies. He makes his home in central Washington state, USA. Mr.White holds an MA in Experimental Archaeology from the University of Exeter, United Kingdom and is an avid flintknapper and practitioner of other primitive technologies. He currently aspires to author other books which address social reforms in relation to neurodiversity, and disability in general.