The Children and Childhood Studies Area of the Mid-Atlantic Popular and American Culture Association invites you to participate in the 25th annual MAPACA conference. Papers in this area examine the impact of popular culture on children and childhood, as well as the role of children and young adults as influencers and creators of popular and American culture.

We are interested in papers and presentations on any topic at the convergence of Popular Culture and American Childhood. In addition, in recognition of MAPACA’s 25 anniversary in 2014, we’d love to have papers or other presentations that deal with the concepts of “anniversaries” or “25” in relation to children and popular culture. These might include birthdays, aging or growing, “25 as the new 18,” contemplations on children’s pop culture over the past 25 years, thoughts on the academic field of the past 25 years, major anniversaries in children’s pop culture (child star birthdays, anniversaries of notable films, TV shows or toys…)

We will also be curating an online collection and pre-conference discussion titled “American Childhood in 25 Artifacts.” Keep an eye out for a separate Call for Contributions to this collection coming soon.

Single papers, panels, roundtables, and alternative formats are welcome. Proposals should take the form of 300-word abstracts. The deadline for submission is June 14, 2014. This year’s conference will be in Baltimore, MD, Nov. 6-8, 2014. For the complete call as well info on how to submit a proposal, please see http://mapaca.net/. Please direct any questions about the Children and Childhood Studies area to area co-chairs

Patrick Cox (ptcox@camden.rutgers.edu <mailto:ptcox@camden.rutgers.edu> ) or Brandi J. Venable (brandijvenable@gmail.com<mailto:brandijvenable@gmail.com> ).

MAPACA welcomes proposals on all aspects of popular and American Culture. For a list of MAPACA’s other areas and area chair contact information, visit Subject Areas http://mapaca.net/areas/. General questions can be directed to mapaca@mapaca.net.

Thanks, and see you at the Harbor!

Patrick Cox and Brandi J. Venable

Area Co-Chairs, Children and Childhood Studies

Mid-Atlantic Popular and American Culture Association

I am thinking of organising a panel for the AAA [AAA is the American anthropological association and is being held this year in Washington DC from 3rd to 7th December] on the theme of displaced childhoods – children who were displaced from their birth families due to wars, social engineering practices and state led racial policies and international adoption is a central process that we seek to look at in this panel. I am writing to explore if any of the members of this listserve might be willing to present their research as part of this panel.

I am starting a bit late on this – so apologies for that. But I would really appreciate hearing back from you as soon as possible/latest by 11th April this Friday as that would be very helpful for me to decide about the panel. We all have to pay and register for the AAA by 15th April [next Tuesday] so I need to know soon about your intention to participate.

Look forward to hearing back from you soon.

Best wishes, Nayanika

Dr. Nayanika Mookherjee | Associate Professor/Reader in Socio-Cultural Anthropology |
Department of Anthropology | Durham University | Durham DH13LE | UK
email: nayanika.mookherjee@durham.ac.uk
http://www.dur.ac.uk/anthropology/staff/academic/?id=9355