Download Too cute to kill? From the depiction of animals in children`s literature

Too cute to kill?
From the depiction of animals in children’s literature to the framing of
government policy by adults
A two-day workshop at the University of Surrey
21 and 22 July 2016
Confirmed speakers
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Alick Simmons
Former Deputy Chief Veterinary Officer for England
Dr Francine Dolins
Department of Behavioural Sciences, University of Michigan-Dearborn
Dr Amy Ratelle
Faculty of Information, University of Toronto
Professor Wyn Grant
Department of Politics and International Studies, University of Warwick
Caroline Spence
Department of Biological and Experimental Psychology, Queen Mary
University of London
Holly Webb
Best-selling children’s author and former children’s book editor at Scholastic
In collaboration with the Institute of Advanced Studies at the University of Surrey, the
organising committee are pleased to announce a call for papers for this two-day
workshop to be held in the School of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Surrey.
Attitudes, behaviours and choices impact all arenas of environmental, public and
veterinary health. In particular, the cultural and emotional value accorded to certain
animal species makes disease control and policy development complex. This
international and interdisciplinary workshop will explore the depictions of wild and
domestic animals in children’s literature and how these shape the value accorded to
animals and their environment into adulthood. We seek a better understanding of how
the cultural and emotional values accorded to certain animal species contribute to the
complexity of policy development and implementation by government and impact
environmental, public and veterinary health.
In particular, we hope to explore the particular association with young children and
animals/nature in their literature and culture, and explore how sentimental and symbolic
associations might contribute to the valuing of animals by adults in a way that can create
tensions in the discussion, formation, and implementation of environmental, public and
veterinary health initiatives.
This workshop will be of interest to academics and professionals in the following fields:
 Those interested in policy development and stakeholder engagement
 Policy developers
 Behavioural psychologists
 Ecocritics
 Researchers and editors of children’s literature
 Vets
 Ecologists
 Ethicists
 Infectious disease researchers
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We invite proposals of up to 200 words for presentations (15-20 minutes) and for
posters. We particularly seek approaches that are multidisciplinary, interdisciplinary or
open to working with other disciplines, with an interest in exploring the concept and
origin of how animal species are framed and the impact this has on policy development.
Possible topics include:
 The representation of animals in children’s literature and other cultural forms,
in and across children’s literature in different cultures and languages
 The shaping and maintaining of human attitudes to animals, in terms of
culture, behaviour and social interactions
 The relationship between the representation of animals in culture and in the
media and policy development
 The issues and challenges of engaging the public and other stakeholders in
policies involving animals
The deadline for proposals is 1 April 2016.
For further information and to submit proposals, visit:
http://www.ias.surrey.ac.uk/workshops/animalsdepiction/index.php
Organising committee:
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Mark Chambers, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Surrey
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Birgitta Gatersleben, School of Psychology, University of Surrey
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Sophie Heywood, Department of Modern Languages and European Studies,
University of Reading
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Adeline Johns-Putra, School of English and Languages, University of Surrey
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