ESTÉE KLAR
SELECT EDUCATION
2020
PhD Neurodiversity in Relation: An Artistic Intraethnography. Critical Disability Studies, York University. Nominated for Faculty of Graduate Studies Dissertation Award.
2013
M.A. Critical Disability Studies, York University.
1988
B.A. Hons. Fine Art History/Studio, University of Toronto
SELECT WORK EXPERIENCE
2005 - 2016
Founder/Director, The Autism Acceptance Project
2016 - Present
Founder/Collaborator, dis assembly: a neurodiverse arts collective (formerly named The A Collective)
2016 - Present
Researcher, SenseLab, Faculty of Fine Arts, Concordia University.
SELECT SINGLE-AUTHORED BOOK CHAPTERS
2008
Klar-Wolfond, E. The Mismeasure of Autism: The Basis for Current Autism ‘Advocacy.’ Wendy Lawson (Ed.). Concepts of Normality: The Autistic and Typical Spectrum. London: Jessica Kingsley Publishers.
Klar, E. A Single Mother's View of Autism and Divorce Rates. In Shannon des Roches Rosa & Jennifer Myers, et al. (Eds.). The Thinking Person's Guide to Autism. Redwood City: Myers-Ross Foundation.
2007
Klar-Wolfond, E. The Perfect Child. In Cori Howard (Ed.). Between Interruptions: Thirty Writers Tell the Truth About Motherhood. Toronto: Key Porter Books.
SELECT CO-AUTHORED BOOK CHAPTERS
Klar, E. and Adam Wolfond. Neurodiversity in Relation. Centering Diverse Bodyminds in Critical Qualitative Inquiry. Emily Nussbaum, Jessica Nina, Eds. Focus Series, Routledge (Forthcoming).
Klar, E. and Patty Douglas (2010). Beyond Disordered Brains and Mother Blame: Critical Issues in Autism and Mothering. Routledge Motherhood Companion. Lynn O’Brien Hallstein, Andrea O’Reilly, and Melinda Vandenbeld Giles, Eds. Routledge.
SELECT SINGLE-AUTHORED ARTICLES
2018
Klar, Estée. Relationshapes: An artistic project that intra-acts collaboration with autistic experience. Diversity in Diversity. Inflexions. Concordia University: http://www.senselab.ca/inflexions/diversityindiversity/index.html
2016
Klar, E. Book Review: Framing the Moron: The social construction of feeble-mindedness in the American eugenic era. Critical Disability Discourses. Vol. 7. pp. 155-161.
2015
The Co-Production of Autism in the Film Wretches & Jabberers. The Canadian Journal of Disability Studies. Vol. 4. No. 1.
2008
Book Review: Reasonable People - A Memoir of Autism and Adoption. www.savarese.com.
2007
The Autism Acceptance Project. Autism Matters. Winter.
I Am The Happy Mother of an Autistic Child. Orato Media.
2006
Klar-Wolfond, E. Autism Acceptance. The National Post: Counterpoint.
Klar-Wolfond,E. Outsider Art and The Value of Human Difference. Arts and Minds.
Klar-Wolfond, E. The Irony of Outsider Art, INspire! Magazine. Vol. 1:3.
Klar, E. The Economy of Pity. Neurodiversity.com.
Klar-Wolfond, E. The Joy of Autism: Redefining Ability and Quality of Life. INspire, Vol. 1:3.
CO-AUTHORED ARTICLES
2020 Klar, Estée, Adam. S/Pace. A Film About Neurodiversity in Relation. Ought: The Journal of Autistic Culture. Vol. 2. Issue 1.
2016
Klar, Estée. Douglas, Patty. McGuire, Annie. Autism Strategy Masks Societal Exclusion of Autistic Ontarians. The Ottawa Citizen. (Co-contributor).
2010
Savarese, Ralph. Klar-Wolfond, Estée. Parent and Sibling Roundtable: Neurodiversity and Caregiving. Disability Studies Quarterly. Vol. 30. No. 1. (Contributor/Participant).
SELECT CONFERENCE PAPERS
2018
Klar, E. Patty Douglas, Meg Gibson, Katherine Runswick-Cole. Panel: Mother’s Re-Storying Autism: Beyond the Care/Oppression Binary. Matricentric Feminism & Inclusive EDducation, The Motherhood Initiative for Research & Community Involvement. Florence, Italy.
2017
Klar, E. Enacting Intra Ethnography for Inclusive Autism Pedagogy. Congress Social Sciences & Humanities. Critical Disability Studies Association.
Klar, E. Relationshapes. Group Exhibition. Outside the Lines: An art exhibition exploring the blurring genres of gender, body, disability and racialization. Eleanor Winters Gallery. For conference: Lives Outside the Lines: Gender and Genre in the Americas: A Symposium in Honour of Marlene Kadar. York University.
Klar, E. Douglas, P. Collaborating With Autistic Experience for Inclusion. Nordic Network of Disability Research. Őbrero, Sweden.
2016
Klar, E. The Co-Production of Autism in the Film Wretches & Jabberers. Society for Disability Studies. Congress of the Humanities and Social Sciences.
Klar, E. The A School: putting community back in inclusion. Canadian Society of Disability Studies, Congress of the Humanities and Social Sciences.
Klar, E. Keynote. Exploring shared communication and meaning with my non-speaking autistic son. Autism Rocks Symposium, Newmarket Autism Association.
2015
Klar, E. The Co-Production of the Autism in the film Wretches & Jabberers and the Meaning of Autism. Critical Disability Studies Conference, York University.
2014
Klar, E. Bissonnette, Larry. Thresher, Tracy. Wurzburg, Geradine. Screening/Panel Discussion of Autism of the film Wretches & Jabberers. York University and at Bloor Hot Docs Cinema.
Klar, E. Autism: New Attitudes Approaches, and Assumptions. de Veber Institute for Bioethics and Social Research presented by Canadian Institutes of Health and Research.
2013
Klar, E. Supporting Autistic Rights: A Substantive Rights-Based Approach. Autism National Committee Conference, Denver, Colorado.
Klar, E. I Seemed To Understand. Poetry Contribution, Critical Disability Studies Conference, York University.
2007
Klar, E. The Current State of Autism Advocacy. “Beyond Behaviours” Conference, University of San Diego. Autism Institute San Diego.
Klar-Wolfond, E. Autism Theory and Technology, From Fear and Fascination to Respect: A Fair Way of Referencing and Accommodating Autism in Science and Society. Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Autism & Technology Series, Boston.
Klar-Wolfond, E. Keynote. The Mismeasure of Autism: The Basis for Current Autism ‘Advocacy.’ AutCOM, Edmonton.
EDITORIAL REVIEW BOARD COMMITTEES
2013 - Present
Reviewer & Editor. Critical Disability Discourse Journal, York University.
2014 - 2015
Editorial Review Committee. Canadian Journal of Disability Studies.
2017
Editorial Committee. Canadian Journal of Disability Studies.
SELECT RESEARCH CONTRIBUTIONS
2019
Techniques for Neurodiversity. SenseLab, Concordia University. With Adam Wolfond and Erin Manning.Neurodiversity Matters. Collaborator with Dr. Margaret Gibson. SSHRC Insight Grant.
2017
Enacting Autism Inclusion: Restorying Autism. Collaborator with Patty Douglas. SSHRC Insight grant.
2016
Techniques for Neurodiversity. Presenter/collaborator with Erin Manning and Adam Wolfond, SenseLab, Concordia University.
SELECT AWARDS/RECOGNITIONS
2017 - 2019
SSHRC, Enacting Intra-Ethnography for Inclusive Autism Pedagogy. Awarded: $60,000.
2016
SSHRC, Enacting Critical Disability in Education, Collaborator with Patty Douglas and Anne McGuire. Awarded: $70,000.
OGS (Ontario Graduate Scholarship), $30,000 for 2 years
2007 - 2013
Outstanding Service Award, The Autism National Committee.
2011
The United Nations Letter, The Autism Acceptance Project: One of the Most Important Events in The History of Autism Acceptance, Supported by The Autistic Self Advocacy Network.
2007
DANI (Developing and Nurturing Independence), Outstanding Service Award.
2010 - 2012
Top Blogger award (various Canadian U.S. blog sites & universities).
2012
Top Canadian Blog, esteeklar.com
SELECT TEACHING POSITIONS
2019
From Autism to Neurodiversity. Guest Lecturer for Dr. Nancy Le Monica, Seneca College.
2016
Pilot Project – Critical Disability Studies for Youth, Bright Start Academy.
Guest Teacher, Disability and the Child, Department of Equity Studies, University of Toronto.
Teacher, English and Disability Studies, The A School.
Contributor. Techniques for Neurodiversity. Faculty of Fine Arts, Concordia University.
Guest Lecturer. Disability and Parenting. George Brown College.
2015
Guest Lecturer. Autism and Mothering. With Fran Odette. George Brown College.
2012 - 2014
Teaching Assistant, Male and Female Relationships, First Year, Department of Equity Studies, York University.
2008
Author, Course Syllabus, Neurodiversity, with Nick Walker, Zür Institute.
SELECT DOCUMENTARY PROJECTS/EXHIBITIONS
2019
S/Pace, Critical Distance, Toronto.
2017
Klar, Estee. Outside the Lines: Blurring the Lines of Gender, Genre and Racialization in the Americas. Eleanor Winters Gallery, York University.
Klar, E. Autism to Inclusion. For Project Revision. https://vimeo.com/195318265
2016
Klar, Estee. Wolfond, Adam. The Aspects of Speaking and How I am Like Moses: an interpretation of Moses and the Story of the Golden Calf. Reel Abilities Film Festival & York University.
2007
Klar, Estee. Accepting Autism. The Autism Acceptance Project. http://www.taaproject.com/
2008
Klar, Estee. Sellik, Lani. Positively Autistic. CBC The National.
2010
Todd Drezner. Loving Lamposts. Participant. Best Feature Documentary, Peace On Earth Film Festival, 2011.
SELECT CURATED EXHIBITIONS
2006
The Joy of Autism: Redefining Ability & Quality of Life. Bloor JCC and Lonsdale Gallery.
2005
Beyond Words: The Drawings of Jonathan Lerman. The Lonsdale Gallery.
2004
Phil Iverson. The Lonsdale Gallery.
2006
Mike Hanson, The Lonsdale Gallery.