Unsettling the Norm: A Posthumanist Reading of Sameness and Differences in Kathryn Erskine’s Mockingbird

Drawing on a posthumanist theory, this paper tackles the voices of children with intellectual disability in Erskine’s Mockingbird (2010). Posthumanism conflicts with the principles of humanism that ground discrimination against the disabled in the first place. So, it sheds light on the participation and inclusion of the disabled in society. Hence, posthumanism aims to focus on self and others, raising awareness among children with and without disabilities about sameness and differences. Finding sameness helps the non-disabled understand the experience of others and creates a sense of shared humanity whereas revealing differences allows them to question social constructions related to disability. Accordingly, the paper seeks to explore how Erskine echoes the voices of the autistic. Moreover, the paper displays the social, attitudinal, and environmental barriers that hinder the participation of the autistic in society and the educational system on an equal footing with non-disabled children, challenging the misconceptions and stereotypes relating to the autistic. Adopting an analytical approach, the study displays how Erskine amplifies the voices of the autistic to enable the non-disabled to understand the suffering, experiences, beliefs, and points of view of the former.