Book Launch: Tourette’s Syndrome, Stigma, and Society’s Jests
Neurodiversity Network
Book Launch: Tourette’s Syndrome, Stigma, and Society’s Jests
Speaker and the Co-Author of the Book: Dr. Melina Malli, Oxford Institute of Population Ageing
Friday 9 May 2025, 12.30pm
Online and In-person, Colin Matthew Room, Radcliffe Humanities Building
Free, but registration is required.
Register here for in-person attendance.
Register here for online attendance.
About the book:
This book explores the profound and multifaceted impact of stigma on individuals with Tourette’s syndrome. It critically examines how stigma, rooted in historical misconceptions continues to shape societal perceptions and attitudes, and marginalises those with the condition across education, employment, media, and interpersonal relationships.
Drawing on personal narratives, Tourette’s Syndrome, Stigma, and Society’s Jests investigates how humour and media representations both reinforce and challenge societal stigma. It evaluates systemic barriers that maintain inequality and exclusion and confronts traditional medicalised views of Tourette’s syndrome. Significantly, it advocates for an intersectional approach that emphasises inclusivity, empowerment, and society’s accountability in addressing stigma and fostering change.
By weaving together lived experiences with scholarly insights, the book challenges readers to rethink preconceived notions about Tourette’s syndrome and to consider the societal structures that impact the lives of those with the condition. Accessible yet grounded in academic research, this volume offers valuable insights for readers interested in disability studies or social justice. It aims to inspire dialogue, challenge stigma, and advocate for a future that prioritises the voices and experiences of individuals with Tourette’s syndrome.
About the author:
Dr. Melina Malli is a Senior Research Fellow at the Oxford Institute of Population Ageing, specialising in social inclusion, identity, integrated care, and disability, with a particular focus on Tourette’s syndrome (TS).
She earned her doctorate at the Tizard Centre, University of Kent, where she examined TS, stigmatisation, and strategies to combat marginalisation through education, contact, and advocacy.
Melina has led and co-led research projects on disability and social inclusion and has published widely in disability studies and stigma research. Her first book, Tourette’s Syndrome, Stigma, and Society’s Jest, co-authored with Professor Rachel Forrester-Jones, challenges the medicalised perspective, applying the social model of disability to TS.
She is also a trustee of Tourette’s Syndrome, Inclusion in the Community (T.I.C.), advocating for greater awareness, accessibility, and inclusion for individuals with TS.
