ACLAR 2024 Conference

University of Waikato, Hamilton, New Zealand: 27-30 November 2024

Children’s Literature and Whenua (the land)

Conference Venue

The Biennial Australasian Children’s Literature Association for Research (ACLAR) conference will take place at the University of Waikato, Hamilton, New Zealand. 27-30 November 2024

 

Conference Theme

Our theme for the 2024 ACLAR conference is ‘whenua’. The Māori word ‘whenua’ has a number of English equivalents; most particularly ‘land’, but notably it can also refer to the placenta and/or afterbirth. The strength of this connection is reflected in the traditional Māori practice of burying the afterbirth (i.e. whenua ) of a child in the land (i.e. whenua) to which they are connected. Whenua encompasses soil, rocks, flora, fauna, and people who inhabit the land. Māori assert an ancestral relationship with the land and all it encompasses. The term Tangata Whenua refers to the Indigenous people of the land; and Mana Whenua refers to the kaitiaki (guardianship) role Tangata Whenua have for the land with which they are connected.

 

In this conference we will honour whenua in relation to children’s literature, particularly, but not exclusively, in New Zealand and Australian contexts. We invite submissions on topics in children’s and young adult’s literature as influenced by concepts of whenua including:

  • Representations of whenua (land)
  • Indigeneity
  • Indigenous language(s)
  • Environment
  • Place
  • Guardianship (kaitiakitanga)
  • Ecocriticism
  • Identity
  • History
  • Whakapapa (ancestry)
  • Childbirth and family
  • Postcolonialism
  • Any other themes relating to whenua (land)

We welcome submissions in relation to children’s and young adult literature around these themes across a range of genres and formats: picturebooks, graphic novels, comics, fiction and non-fiction. You are also welcome to submit ideas for a different session topic aligning with the overarching theme of ‘whenua’. Presentations will be 20 minutes followed by a 10-minute discussion. You may also submit proposals for a panel of three presentations on one topic. Please ensure all proposed presenters provide a biography. 

Shaun Tan artwork

Submission details

Please send an abstract of 300 words maximum and a short biography of 100 words as two separate Word documents to: ACLAR2024@waikato.ac.nz

E-mails should have the subject line: Submission ACLAR 2024

Submissions should include the following:

  1. Author(s)
  2. Affiliation as you would like it to appear in the programme
  3. City and country
  4. E-mail address
  5. Theme for your presentation
  6. Title of proposed paper
  7. Abstract of paper (300 words)
  8. Selected bibliography with academic sources (3-5 references)

Key information

  • All abstracts and papers must be in English or Māori
  • Deadline for abstract submission EXTENDED to: 15 March 2024
  • Notification of acceptance: 15 April 2024
  • All submissions will be blind peer-reviewed

Enquiries and submissions to:  ACLAR2024@waikato.ac.nz

Keynote Speakers

Watch this space! 

Conference Program

Details available: May 2024

Registration

 

Accommodation

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

Facebook Twitter
Skip to content