Historical Geographies of Childhood
We invite submissions for a session at the upcoming meeting of the American Association of Geographers, to be held March 24-28, 2025 in Detroit, MI. Join us in recognizing the legacy of Gwendolyn Warren and William Bunge, who, over fifty years ago, recognized children as important agents of social geography in the Detroit Geographical Expeditions. We will explore the historical geographies of childhood, contributing to a deeper understanding of how the production of space and the construction of 'childhood' have been entwined historically. This session aims to explore the relationships between childhood and geography throughout history, examining spatial variations in the conditions of childhood; how spaces, places, and environments have shaped children's experiences and identities across different cultures and time periods; and the ways in which children themselves have actively produced spaces through history.
Topics Could Include:
· Urban, suburban, and rural childhoods over time
· Spatial variations in past childhoods (e.g. health, housing, work, schooling)
· Notions of 'ideal' spaces of childhood
· Childhood in the context of migration and displacement
· The roles of play- and leisure-spaces in shaping childhood geographies
· Social constructions of 'home' and children's roles in domestic life
· Institutional spaces: schools, care homes, and cultural centers
· (Re)production of racism and patriarchy through children's spaces
· Material cultures of childhood experiences and environments
· Researching past childhoods: data, methods, analysis, visualizations
· Memory, nostalgia, and the representation of childhood geographies
· Historiographies of children's geographies
We welcome contributions from scholars at all stages of their careers and encourage interdisciplinary approaches. If there is sufficient interest, we may plan on multiple paper sessions or adding a panel. Papers may also be considered for a special issue of Children's Geographies.
Submission Guidelines: Please submit a title, an abstract of no more than 250 words, and 5 keywords to both co-organizers by Friday, October 25. We will confirm accepted abstracts by October 29, prior to submitting the panel to AAG by October 31.
Co-organizers:
Ann Marie Murnaghan amfm@yorku.ca Assistant Professor, Children, Childhood and Youth Program, Department of Humanities, York University, Toronto, ON, Canada.
Meghan Cope mcope@uvm.edu Professor, Dept. of Geography and Geosciences, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT, US.
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Prof. Meghan Cope (she/her)
Department of Geography and Geosciences
University of Vermont
94 University Pl.
Burlington VT 05405
USA
802-656-8844
Newest Paper: 'Fixing' Destitute Children (Area, May 2023)
Mapping American Childhoods:
https://blog.uvm.edu/mcope-childhoods/Co-editor, Key Methods in Geography 4th ed.
Co-editor, Qualitative Research Methods in Human Geography, 5th ed.
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