CFP – Alice Through the Ages: The 150th Anniversary of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland

15 – 17 September 2015
Homerton College
Hills Road
Cambridge CB2 8PQ

Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland celebrates its 150th anniversary in 2015. Lewis Carroll famously opens his Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland with his protagonist “burning with curiosity”, which leads Alice to follow the White Rabbit into an alternative reality. That same sense of curiosity has circulated about Wonderland since the book was first published. This conference aims to offer new understandings of the work by re-evaluating long held truisms, subjecting the text to new theoretical approaches and considering the history of adaptation and its uses in popular culture.

We invite innovative papers on Lewis Carroll from established scholars as well as new voices in the field, and those whose research focuses on cognate fields. We are especially interested in papers focused on the book’s initial production context, including Carroll’s biography and sources and influences; papers that interrogate and problematise some of the longstanding truisms associated with the text, such as its place at the start of the fantasy tradition for children and the relationship between author and illustrator; papers that examine how text and author have been read in terms of cultural studies, the history of science, the medical humanities, and the politics of literature; and papers considering adaptation and the powerful influence Wonderland has had on design and style.

Confirmed keynote speakers are Professor Dame Gillian Beer, Professor Jan Susina and Dr Kiera Vaclavik.

300 word proposals for 20-minute papers or 60-90 minute panel sessions should be submitted by 31 January 2015. We also invite poster presentations, exhibits, performances and any activities inspired by the Alice novels. For more information, or to submit a proposal, please contact Professor Maria Nikolajeva mn351@cam.ac.uk or Dr Zoe Jaques, zj216@cam.ac.uk.

CFP – Aotearoa’s Trials and Tribulations of UNCRC’s ‘Play grounds’ in the Past 25 Years

1st New Zealand Childhood Studies Colloquium, 14th November 2014
Aotearoa’s trials and tribulations of UNCRC’s ‘play grounds’ in the past 25 years

Childhood Studies Colloquium
14 November 2014, 9.30am – 4.30pm
Faculty of Education, The University of Auckland
Keynote address: Emeritus Professor Anne B. Smith, University of Otago

Call for papers and participation
The aim of this colloquium is to bring researchers from across the social sciences, humanities and education together to begin a critical conversation about the past, present and future of childhood studies in Aotearoa New Zealand. The first hui coincides with the 25th anniversary of UNCRC and critically reflects on its trials and tribulations. The organisers welcome contributions from any disciplinary perspective and encourage postgraduate students to participate.

Presentation
We invite 5-10 minute theoretically-informed presentations. All presentations will be delivered to the entire audience to facilitate and encourage an interdisciplinary exchange of ideas. We encourage work-in-progress, and critical thinking about children and childhood in light of 25 years of UNCRC, in order to foster new ideas and conversations and to mobilise innovative interdisciplinary research in Aotearoa.

Abstract submission
Abstracts should be emailed to the organisers by 20 October 2014. Please include in your name, email, affiliation, title of your paper and an abstract of no more than 150 words, and a very brief biographical note outlining your disciplinary relationship with childhood studies. Acceptance will be notified by 30 October 2014.

Contact:
Dr Christina Ergler, University of Otago (christina.ergler@otago.ac.nz
Dr Marek Tesar, University of Auckland (m.tesar@auckland.ac.nz