Ableist ivory towers: a narrative review informing about the lived experiences of neurodivergent staff in contemporary higher education

Abstract

Neurodivergence is currently underrepresented among staff in higher education. Acknowledging such underrepresentation, this narrative review critically explores the experiences of neurodivergent academics as reported within the scholarly literature. This review of the literature, which utilised Scopus, ProQuest Central and Education Source via Ebsco databases, identified 34 relevant articles after applying the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Findings from this review challenge universities to acknowledge and redress the negative experiences of neurodivergent staff across issue-areas of disclosure, stigma and discrimination. Moreover, in recognising the positive experiences of accommodated neurodivergence in the academy, medical model supported views of the ‘disabled’ scholar are undermined. Universities that value diversity and inclusion need to be open to the content of this narrative review along with the suggestions for future research directions. Points of interest This paper discusses the lived experiences of neurodivergent staff (people who have brains that work differently to most others) in higher education. It reveals what published articles have reported on this matter. Neurodivergent staff can enjoy positive experiences in higher education. For example, they describe receiving accommodations and applying their abilities. These staff can also have negative experiences after telling people that they are neurodivergent. They can be seen and treated in bad ways. This review is useful because it shows that universities need to do more to include neurodivergent staff.