Radu Damian Nedescu

I am autistic and a graduate of a Master's Degree in Philosophy at KU Leuven University in Belgium, and I research the autistic experience from the perspective of phenomenological philosophy. I was diagnosed with infantile autism at the age of three and acquired, through ABA intervention and play therapy, the cognitive, social, and practical skills necessary for an independent living within a neurotypical academic environment.

Presentation: A journey across the spectrum: from infantile autism to philosophical geek

Abstract:

This presentation will explore how I experience my own autism.

Using my story, a journey from childhood autism to a self-reflective, autonomous person who lives and studies autistic living, I will try to answer the following questions:

• How did it feel to learn the world from scratch?
• How do I perceive and understand social interactions?
• How has my special interest (specific?) changed and is changing life?
• How do I feel in a neurotypical world?
• How do I relate to the neurodiverse movement?

My dual role as an autist and autism researcher affords the privilege of observing and analysing my experiences. We will do this exercise together and at the end, we will see how Radu Nedescu's own autism lives and how he shares it with others.