LSE Literary Festival 2017 | Viewing Autism through the Arts Lens [Audio]

Speaker(s): Ros Blackburn, Jem Lester, Emma Claire Sweeney | The scientific understanding of autism has developed significantly over the last few decades. But how realistically are autism and the experiences of autistic people and their families portrayed in the arts? Literature such as The Reason I Jump, plays like The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night, and movies such as The Accountant that reach the general public potentially increase the awareness of autism, but how far can arts and literature further revolutionise the way it is understood? Can they truly portray the reality of autism? This event aims to use examples from literature and art to explore the quality of portrayals of autism. Speakers will provide their personal reflections on these questions, followed by audience discussion. The panel is being finalised. Speakers currently include: Ros Blackburn is an adult with autism. At three months old she appeared withdrawn, isolated and very much in a world of her own. At