The Power of Pages: Exploring Francophone Children’s Literature’s Role in Fostering Global Awareness and Empathy (ACLA Conference, Montréal)
The Power of Pages
Exploring Francophone Children’s Literature’s Role in Fostering Global Awareness and Empathy
Organizer: Pooja Booluck-Miller; pb.miller@unb.ca
Co-Organizer: Liza Bolen; liza.bolen@unb.ca
The terms “bande dessinée” and “littérature jeunesse” possess a unique ability to conjure feelings of nostalgia and warmth, transporting us back to our childhood and reminding us of our inaugural excursions into the world of imagination. While these terms inevitably get associated with our early years, children’s literature holds potential for readers of all age groups through its accessible language style and pertinence to contemporary topics such as migration, pandemics, and environmental change. Although it may be underrepresented in Francophone literature, research indicates that children’s literature offers similar benefits to traditional literary and artistic works. This includes the opportunity to reflect on ideas and values, as well as the opportunity to connect readers to new cultures and places (Bloem and Padak, p. 49).
While our primary focus centers on the role of illustrations and short descriptive texts in acquainting readers with diverse geographical spaces, cultures and traditions, this seminar takes a step further into discovering themes that engender global awareness and empathy. We invite participants from diverse areas of expertise such as literature, linguistics, art, and pedagogy, to explore and discuss themes related to Francophone children’s literature. These themes encompass but are not confined to:
Migration, exploration, cultural transitions, and global identities
- Trauma and resilience
- Representations of disability and inclusivity
- Gender and sexuality
- Cultural heritage
- Confinement and pandemics
- Environmental issues
- Inclusion of children’s literature in pedagogy
- Representations of social justice, equity, and inclusion
- Art of storytelling
We invite faculty, independent scholars, and graduate students from different areas of Francophone disciplines to submit a proposal in French or English to Pooja Booluck-Miller and Liza Bolen for presentations as part of a three-day open discussion.