Neuroqueer theory
Nick Walker is an autistic scholar, author of Neuroqueer Heresies, and a leading voice in the neurodiversity paradigm. Her work reframes autism and other forms of neurodivergence not as disorders to be fixed, but as natural variations in human cognition and embodiment—each shaped by culture, context, and resistance to normative expectations. Through the lens of neuroqueer theory, Walker explores how neurodivergent people navigate systems that demand conformity, offering powerful insights into identity, self-determination, and liberation. Her writing invites educators, parents, and allies to move beyond behaviour management toward deep respect, mutuality, and the radical act of affirming difference.
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Beyond blame: reimagining discipline in a trauma-informed world
Collective punishment is neither effective nor ethical. It disciplines the group for the actions of one, eroding trust and reinforcing the very dynamics of power and fear that trauma-informed practice seeks to heal. In its place, we need something older and deeper—an approach to discipline rooted in relationship, regulation, and repair. Indigenous teachings and relational…
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The cost of compliance – the foundational critique and case for change
When children are dysregulated, the response from educators is too often punitive. For neurodivergent students in particular, the cost of these responses is high: shame, trauma, social exclusion, and a deep erosion of trust. But it does not have to be this way. Restorative alternatives are not new. They are ancient practices found in many…
