Call for Papers

On June 9-12, 2005, the Children's Literature Association will meet at the Manitoba Theatre for Young People in Winnipeg, Canada.

We particularly invite proposals for papers and panels exploring the conference theme, although all scholarly papers on texts for young people will be given careful consideration.

We invite papers that explore the interrelationships of performance and children's literature, including such topics as:

• the ways in which theories of performativity like the one developed by Judith Butler might throw light on childhood and on texts for children. As well as explorations of the constructions of gender and sexuality in children's literature, we encourage considerations of what theories of performativity might suggest about the depictions and construction of childhood itself. Does children's literature teach its readers how to perform childhood?
• performances of national identity in texts for young people
• representations of performance(s) in children's literature, performers in children's literature, children as performers (actors, dancers, musicians, etc.), and children as audiences for performances.
• children's literature in performance. We're interested in the ways in which texts of children's literature have been performed in various media, such as theatre, film, TV, storytelling, and audiobooks. In addition, we invite papers focused on adults and children reading literature to one another.
• the relations among children's culture, consumer culture, and performance.
• the place of dramatic texts as literature for children.

The deadline for submission is November 30, 2004.

For more information contact:

Professor Perry Nodelman

Chair, Paper Selection Committee
Department of English
University of Winnipeg
515 Portage Avenue
Winnipeg, Manitoba

R3B 2E9 Canada

FAX (204) 774-4134

Proposals for papers should be approximately two pages in length, should clearly indicate the primary texts being considered and the argument being developed or the questions being posed, and should demonstrate that the paper is suitable for presentation within twenty-five minutes. Proposals for panels should include a list of presenters, proposals for all of the papers to be presented and/or a detailed explanation of the format the panel will take. At the time of presentation, all presenters must be members of ChLA.

The paper call committee for the conference consists of editors of children's literature journals: Clare Bradford of Papers, Valerie Coghlan of Inis and Bookbird, Richard Flynn of Children's Literature Association Quarterly, Rosemary Johnston of CREArTA, Margaret Mackey of Children's Literature in Education, Jan Susina of The Lion and the Unicorn, and Perry Nodelman, CCL, the Canadian Children's Literature journal.