Ana Ovsepyan

Ana Ovsepyan is a fourth–year transfer student majoring in English with a specific interest in disability studies. Her departmental research focuses on the relationship between neurodivergent disorders, specifically epilepsy, and its representation in metaphorical thinking in different forms of literature. Ana was diagnosed with mesial temporal sclerosis in 2018 and has been inspired by her own experience with epilepsy to think about the troubles that can arise from certain vague disorders—specifically those that are hard to treat and diagnose. Her research is done through a disabled lens and questions whether illness as a narrative or metaphorical thinking continues ableist beliefs in those who are able-bodied, and/or those with illness. She examines when metaphorical or mythical thinking can help those with ambiguous disorders, and when it can dismiss personal experiences. She focuses on sources written by those who suffer from neurodivergent disorders, as well as those who witness such disorders to establish the difference between ableist thinking and necessary ambiguity. She plans to pursue a master’s degree in the English department with hopes to continue her research in disability studies and to enter the critical discourse of medical humanities and theory.