International Critical Childhood Policy Studies Journal Special Issue
Postfoundational Perspectives in Childhood Studies: Emerging Scholars

About the Special Issue:

This special issue aims to explore innovative and critical perspectives in childhood education from emerging scholars. We are particularly interested in post-foundational studies that challenge traditional paradigms and inspire new conceptualizations, methodologies, theoretical frameworks, and practices that address concerns in early childhood education and childhood studies. This call regards post-foundational studies as an umbrella inquiry that helps us reconceptualize early childhood studies, question established facts about childhood and pedagogy, and acts as a “war machine” (Deleuze & Guattari, 1987) inviting conflicts about and unsettlements toward established facts. It draws on a variety of theories, including but not limited to “poststructuralism, posthumanism, feminist new materialism, relational ontologies, speculative empiricism, agential realism, immanent ontologies, and affect theory” (Mazzei & Jackson, 2023, p. 14).

This is an opportunity for emerging scholars to bring new theoretical and methodological insights, perspectives, topics, and cases into the field as well as to engage in conversations across different generations using critical theories in childhood and policy studies to advocate for equity and social justice.

Eligibility:

• Recently completed dissertation (within the last 2 years) or in the final stages of your doctoral studies, with manuscripts nearly ready to submit for publication in a journal.
• Research focuses on postfoundational studies in early childhood.
• Emerging scholars from diverse backgrounds and geographical locations are encouraged to apply; the editors are especially interested in proposals and articles that represent a broad range of concepts and diverse geographical, conceptual spaces and places.

Submission Guidelines:

The articles should illuminate issues of power, justice, equity, and/or oppression/privilege important to the various fields of research and practice that focus on childhood locally and/or globally. These fields include, but are not limited to education, history, culture and gender studies, anthropology, cultural geography, critical sociology and psychology. Please note that articles from disciplinary fields that are not traditionally tied to "childhood," or work that challenges or extends the boundaries of disciplines, may provide important insights into power and policy for those who are constructed as “younger.”

Proposal Submission:

1. Please submit via email (iccpsjournal@gmail.com):
• Name, Affiliation, email, date of completion or probable completion of doctoral dissertation.
• Title of the proposed paper.
• Abstract (500 words) summarizing the research, methodology arguments, and contributions to the field
• Please note: the journal is partially sponsored by International Reconceptualizing Early Childhood Education (RECE). Emerging scholars within RECE, as well as other critically oriented scholars in early childhood education and/or childhood policy studies are encouraged to send proposals.
2. Article Submission:
• If accepted, article length should usually range from 25-30 double-spaced typed pages; however, the online nature of the journal facilitates a range of possible lengths.
• Reference and format style follow the APA 8th edition.
• Proposals are to be crafted from a nearly complete article from your written dissertation, or directly from a dissertation that has been completed. This is to expedite review and publication, as well as to focus the issue on emerging scholars.

Key Dates:

• Proposal Submission Deadline: August 30th, 2024
• Notification of Acceptance: September 9th, 2024
• Full Paper Submission Deadline: October 28th, 2024
• Publication Date: End of 2024/ Early 2025

Contact Information:

Please contact the Special Issue Co-Editors with any questions:

Meredith Whye, whye@wisc.edu, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Member of RECE Graduate Circle

Xue Yin, xyin32@wisc.edu, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Member of RECE Graduate Circle

Please contact the journal editor with additional questions or ideas for other special issues: Professor Emerita Marianne Bloch, marianne.bloch@gmail.com