Narrating the Child and the Baltic Sea

The 2nd International Conference of “The Graphic World of Children”

This is the first conference that addresses the representation of the Baltic Sea in children’s literature and media, in addition to childhood memories in adult literature and media, from 1945 onwards. The conference addresses a significant gap in childhood studies while contributing to broader cultural, ecological, and geopolitical discussions. Focusing on the Baltic Sea as both a geographical and cultural space, it examines its depiction in a wide range of genres and media, from picture books and poetry to children’s films and young adult novels.

Some contributions also consider the sea’s symbolic function, exploring contrasts between nature and civilization and the ways in which narratives of the sea reflect societal changes over time. By integrating perspectives from multiple disciplines, the conference offers a comprehensive and nuanced understanding of the Baltic Sea’s place in the cultural and narrative landscapes of children’s media. By doing so it not only fills a significant gap in children’s literature studies but also provides a timely reflection on the importance of storytelling in addressing pressing ecological and cultural challenges.

Children’s literature and media are powerful tools for fostering environmental awareness, and the depiction of the Baltic Sea. The conference explores these themes by connecting them to broader global discussions on sustainability and the role of storytelling in building more conscious and engaged citizens.

Welcome!

• Lisa Källström (organiser)

together with the organising committee:

• Bettina Kümmerling-Meibauer (University of Tübingen),
• Maaheen Ahmed (Ghent University) and
• Birgitte Beck Pristed (Aarhus University)

on behalf of Graphic World of Children.

Conference program

Invited guests and external readers of drafts presented during the conference: Valerie Alfven (Stockholm University) & Mårten Michanek (Södertörn University).

Valérie Alfvén is a senior lecturer in translation studies at Stockholm University. Her research focuses on the circulation and translation of children’s literature, especially between Sweden, France, and English-speaking countries. Her publications include works like “Retranslations of Children’s Literature”(2025), "Contemporary translated children's literature in Sweden with a focus on literature from French-speaking regions"(2022) or "Defying norms through unprovoked violence" (2020) which examine various aspects of translation and reception in children's literature.

Mårten Michanek (Södertörn University) is a PhD- researcher in children’s and young adult literature, currently teaching in the teacher education programme. His research focuses on representations of reading and school resistance in children’s literature, with a particular interest in how literature and education function as sites of subject formation.

Presenters, committee and organiser docx, 27.9 kB.

Funded by the Centre for Baltic and East European Studies, CBEES.