Sociologist Gil Eyal breaks down why autism diagnoses skyrocketed starting in the 1980s. It’s not about a sudden epidemic of autism, but a shift in how we define, observe, and treat developmental differences. This interview dives deep into the history of diagnosis, the role of institutions, the incentives behind early intervention, and what gets lost when systems are built around labels. If you’ve wondered why autism seems more common now, this episode explains what’s really going on.
Visit Gil Eyal Profile at Columbia University
Get Gil Eyal’s Book “The Autism Matrix”
Find Dr. Randall Bock’s articles at Brownstone
