ACLAR 2026 Conference
Deakin University, Waterfront Campus, Geelong Australia: 18-20 November 2026Children’s Literature in a Time of Crisis
Conference Venue
The Biennial Australasian Children’s Literature Association for Research (ACLAR) conference will take place at Deakin University’s Waterfront Campus, Geelong, Victoria.
Wednesday 18 November to Friday 20 November, 2026
Conference Theme
At a time when young people are being faced with rapid disruptive technological changes, intolerance and extremism, and environmental catastrophe, the ACLAR 2026 conference is interested in the ways in which crisis is manifested through and within children’s literature
and culture.
We invite submissions on topics in children’s and young adult literature influenced and
informed by ideas of crisis, including:
– climate change
– technology and developments in artificial intelligence
– disasters, survival, health and wellbeing
– conflict and extremism
– homelessness and displacement
– identity, including gender and sexuality, disability, race, Indigeneity
– coming of age/growing up with/in crisis
– hope and fear
– community, collective action, activism, resistance
– alternative ways to conceptualise and address crisis (e.g. as rebirth or potential)
– reading, writing and publishing in/through/from crisis
– any other themes relating to crisis.
We welcome submissions in relation to children’s and young adult literature around these themes across a range of genres and formats, including picturebooks, graphic novels, comics, fiction and non-fiction, film, and tv. We also welcome panel proposals for three papers on one theme. Academics working at the intersection of Children’s/YA and creative
writing are warmly encouraged to submit.
Submission details
Please submit an abstract of 250 words and a short biography of 100 words to aclar2026@gmail.com. Emails should have the subject line: Submission ACLAR 2026.
Submissions should include the following:
1. Author(s)
2. Affiliation, including country
3. E-mail address
4. Title of proposed paper
5. Abstract (250 words)
6. 3-5 key words.
Key information
• All abstracts and papers must be in English.
• Deadline for abstract submission 27 February 2026
• Notification of acceptance by May 2026
• All submissions will be peer-reviewed.
• Send enquiries and submissions to aclar2026@gmail.com.
Keynote Speakers
We are thrilled to introduce our confirmed keynote speakers for ACLAR 2026
Professor Fengia Tan
Fengia is a professor in the department of Chinese Language and Literature at Nanjing Normal University. She teaches Chinese modern literature and children’s literature.
Dr Lisa Fuller
Lisa is a Wuilli Wuilli woman from Eidsvold Queensland, also descended from Wakka Wakka and Gooreng Gooreng peoples. She has lived on Ngunnawal and Ngambri lands (Canberra) since 2006, where she works at the University of Canberra as Lecturer in Indigenous Studies.
Conference Program
The program details will be posted here as soon as they’re available.
Registration
- Details to come.
Past Conferences
2022
‘Owning our Voices: Authenticity, Legitimacy, and Agency in Children’s and Young Adult Literature’
Online and in Perth, Western Australia
Keynote speakers: Mavis Reimer, Doris Wolf, Melanie Braith, Grace Braniff, Amanda Laverdure and
Benjamin Roloff; Kate Eltham, Alice Boer-Endacott, Jared Thomas, Rebecca Lim, Rachel Bin Salleh:
2018
‘Houses of Learning: Education in Chidren’s Literature and Children’s Literature as Education’
Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand, 12-14 July 2018
Confirmed keynote speakers: Associate Professor Marah Gubar, Kate de Goldi, Miranda Harcourt and Stuart McKenzie
2016
‘Shifting Landscapes: Diversity, Text and Young People’
Charles Sturt University, Wagga, Wagga
2014
‘Emotional Control: Affect, Ideology and Texts for Young People’
Deakin University, Geelong, Australia
Keynote speakers: Professor John Stephens, Dr Juanita Feros Ruys
Guest speaker: Jackie French, Australian Children’s Laureate
2012
‘If We’re Being Honest… The Facts and Fictions of Children’s Literature’
The University of Canberra/National Library of Australia, ACT, Australia
Keynote speakers: Professor Clare Bradford, Professor Kerry Mallan, Mr Shaun Tan
2010
‘Children’s Literature and its Politics: Representation and the Rules of Engagement’
The University of Wollongong, NSW, Australia
Keynote speakers: Professor Mavis Reimer, Professor Jean Webb
2008
‘Other Worlds in Children’s Literature: Fantasy, Reality and Imagination’
Victoria University of Wellington, Wellington, New Zealand
Keynote speakers: Professor Roderick McGillis, Professor Jerry Griswold
2006
‘Children’s Literature at the Edge: New Texts, New Technologies, New Readings, New Readers’
Australian Catholic University, Melbourne, Australia
Keynote speaker: Professor Kerry Mallan
2004
‘Imaging Childhood’
University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Keynote speakers: Professor Perry Nodelman and Mr Shaun Tan
2002
‘Seriously Playful’
Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
2001
‘Cinderella Transformed’
Christchurch College of Education, Christchurch, New Zealand
1999
‘Children’s Literature Matters’
Deakin University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
1998
‘Something to Crow About’
Charles Sturt University, Wagga Wagga, New South Wales, Australia
1997
‘Old Neighbours, New Visions’
University of South Australia, Adelaide, South Australia
Past Conferences
2022
‘Owning our Voices: Authenticity, Legitimacy, and Agency in Children’s and Young Adult Literature’
Online and in Perth, Western Australia
Keynote speakers: Mavis Reimer, Doris Wolf, Melanie Braith, Grace Braniff, Amanda Laverdure and
Benjamin Roloff; Kate Eltham, Alice Boer-Endacott, Jared Thomas, Rebecca Lim, Rachel Bin Salleh:
2018
‘Houses of Learning: Education in Chidren’s Literature and Children’s Literature as Education’
Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand, 12-14 July 2018
Confirmed keynote speakers: Associate Professor Marah Gubar, Kate de Goldi, Miranda Harcourt and Stuart McKenzie
2016
‘Shifting Landscapes: Diversity, Text and Young People’
Charles Sturt University, Wagga, Wagga
2014
‘Emotional Control: Affect, Ideology and Texts for Young People’
Deakin University, Geelong, Australia
Keynote speakers: Professor John Stephens, Dr Juanita Feros Ruys
Guest speaker: Jackie French, Australian Children’s Laureate
2012
‘If We’re Being Honest… The Facts and Fictions of Children’s Literature’
The University of Canberra/National Library of Australia, ACT, Australia
Keynote speakers: Professor Clare Bradford, Professor Kerry Mallan, Mr Shaun Tan
2010
‘Children’s Literature and its Politics: Representation and the Rules of Engagement’
The University of Wollongong, NSW, Australia
Keynote speakers: Professor Mavis Reimer, Professor Jean Webb
2008
‘Other Worlds in Children’s Literature: Fantasy, Reality and Imagination’
Victoria University of Wellington, Wellington, New Zealand
Keynote speakers: Professor Roderick McGillis, Professor Jerry Griswold
2006
‘Children’s Literature at the Edge: New Texts, New Technologies, New Readings, New Readers’
Australian Catholic University, Melbourne, Australia
Keynote speaker: Professor Kerry Mallan
2004
‘Imaging Childhood’
University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Keynote speakers: Professor Perry Nodelman and Mr Shaun Tan
2002
‘Seriously Playful’
Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
2001
‘Cinderella Transformed’
Christchurch College of Education, Christchurch, New Zealand
1999
‘Children’s Literature Matters’
Deakin University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
1998
‘Something to Crow About’
Charles Sturt University, Wagga Wagga, New South Wales, Australia
1997
‘Old Neighbours, New Visions’
University of South Australia, Adelaide, South Australia
