Against Technoableism: Rethinking Who Needs Improvement by Ashley Shew, launched September 19, 2023 with W.W. Norton & Company. Available in hardback, paperback, and audiobook!
Check out this discussion and resource guide PDF from Norton!
American University’s Library has a Writing Studies Resource Guide with links to so many things touched on in the book!
Reviews & Honors
- Review by Robert Rosenberger in the Journal of Human-Technology Relations
- Finalist, Nonfiction, 2024 Virginia Literary Awards: https://www.lva.virginia.gov/public/litawards/finalists.htm
- Albert L. Sturm Award, Mu of Virginia Chapter, Phi Beta Kappa, May 2024.
- Honored as on of the 10 Best Disability Books of 2023 by Book Riot: https://bookriot.com/best-disability-books-of-2023/
- Review by Kelly Justice, Fountain Bookstore, in the Southern Booksellers Review.
- Review by Andrew Leland in the New York Times.
- Daily Kos Notable Nonfiction.
- Review by Leslie Bernstein for Science.
- Kirkus Reviews, with Kirkus Star, Aug 1, 2023.
- Featured as one of Six Stars in September
- Publisher’s Weekly.
- NetGalley (many reviews).
Interviews about Against Technoableism
Techtonics with Mark Hurst. WFMU. January 22, 2024. https://wfmu.org/playlists/shows/136182
Factually! with Adam Conover. December 13, 2023. https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/factually-with-adam-conover/id1463460577
Talk Nerdy with Cara Santa Maria. December 4, 2023. https://www.carasantamaria.com/podcast/ashley-shew
Disability Rights Florida You First Podcast, hosted by Maddie Crowley and Keith Casebonne. Interviewed together with Mallory Kay Nelson. November 30, 2023. https://disabilityrightsflorida.org/podcast/story/episode_57
The Received Wisdom Podcast with Shobita Parasarathy and Jack Stilgoe. October 18, 2023. https://shobita-parthasarathy.squarespace.com/the-received-wisdom/2023/10/18/episode-36-electric-cars-the-problems-with-tech-biographies-and-against-technoableism-ft-ashley-shew
The Pulse (Accessible Media) with Joeita Gupta. October 14, 2023. https://open.spotify.com/episode/0BfpxlEtNvwX7slE4Zsj04
Book Bites, The Next Big Idea Club. October 14, 2023. https://nextbigideaclub.com/magazine/technoableism-rethinking-needs-improvement-bookbite/45570/
“What needs fixing? Disabled people? Or a built world that shuts them out?” with Louise Kinross, BLOOM (Blog of Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital). October 11, 2023. http://hollandbloorview.ca/stories-news-events/BLOOM-Blog/what-needs-fixing-disabled-people-or-built-world-shuts-them-out
Tech Nation with Moira Gunn. October 10, 2023. https://podcasts.apple.com/iq/podcast/episode-23-41-rethinking-being-human/id876042622?i=1000631129103
Think (KERA, NPR) with host Khrys Boyd. October 10, 2023. https://think.kera.org/2023/10/10/people-with-disabilities-dont-need-fixing-the-world-does/
Science Friday (on NPR!) with guest host Dessa! September 29, 2023. https://www.sciencefriday.com/segments/technology-ableism-disability/
Let’s Grab Coffee with SunAh Laybourn, WYXR Memphis. September 18, 2023. https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/lets-grab-coffee/id1558176877
Published Excerpts
From Chapter 1: Shew, Ashley. 2023. “Ask Disabled People What They Want. It’s Not Always Technology.” Science Friday, September 28. https://www.sciencefriday.com/articles/against-technoableism-excerpt/
From Chapter 6: Shew, Ashley. 2023. “Why aren’t disabled astronauts exploring space?” WIRED, Sept 27. https://www.wired.com/story/ashley-shew-disability-space-exploration/
Related work
Harvard’s Petrie-Flom Center’s Bill of Health Blog Symposium on Addressing Technoableism (September 25-October 6, 2023), guest edited by Ashley Shew
All Access Special Issue of MIT Technology Review (July/August 2023), guest edited by Ashley Shew
Book Me (puns!)
If you want me to speak at your large event, I am represented by Collective Speakers. But I also love to do smaller online readings and Q&A bookstore and book club visits, so don’t be afraid to reach out — my last name at vee tee dot eee dee you. Thanks!
Technology and Disability 