Progressive Connexions ~ Interdisciplinary Life
Interdisciplinary Research, Publishing and Explorations
Evil Children: Children and Evil
2nd Global Inclusive Interdisciplinary Conference
Saturday 9th October 2021 – Sunday 10th October 2021
Online: ShockLogic Platform
Yet we are also aware of the mischievous ‘little monsters’, the ‘little devils’ who run exasperated parents ragged. The toddlers who chase pigeons; kick cats; pull the wings off flies and the legs off spiders. Children of whom we become afraid; who abuse other children; who assault each other, strangers, parents, the elderly. Children who ‘roam’ and ‘own’ the streets, individually or ‘in packs’; who are put ‘into care’; who commit crimes; who smoke, drink, and take drugs. Feral children. Children who rape. Children who torture. Children who kill. Children who are ‘possessed’: demonic children, ‘evil’ children who do evil things.
This research stream will juggle with three competing approaches to children and evil. The first asks what is meant by ‘innocence’ – in all contexts – and then particularly the ‘innocence of a child’ as an ideal by which the second concern is measured: whether and, if so, in what ways children can be evil. Are children wicked? Are children malicious? What does it mean to be personally, socially, legally and morally responsible? And, if responsibility exists, at what point does one assume responsibility for one’s acts? What is it about the special status of ‘childhood’ that somehow makes it different? This is intertwined with the third approach: how (certain) children have been, and continue to be, presented as evil and considers the nature of evil children as a social and cultural construct and how this may differ or intersect in various communities, disciplines, and contexts.
The second instalment of this inclusive interdisciplinary conference will begin to examine, explore and undermine issues surrounding the general idea of the child as innocent. It will start unpacking all aspects of evil children and the relationship between children and evil with a view to forming a publication to engender further collaboration and discussion. It will probe the dichotomies and ambiguities of our understanding and constructs of children, childhood, the passage through childhood to adulthood and the relationship with personal and social values, morals and responsibilities. It will map the ways in which children could or should be held accountable for the things they do and the contexts in which they are subject to influencing factors and conditions. And it will assess the use of ‘evil’ in relation to children and childhood in historical and contemporary cultures.
Key Topics
Key topics, themes and issues for discussion may include, but are definitely not limited to:
- Perceived binaries of innocence and evil; innocent evil
- Evil and age; does age matter? (age of responsibility, legal vs. biological markers)
- Children, evil and empathy
- The child as perpetrator and/or victim
- Class, racial, ethnic, physical “Others”
- Evil, children and/in Fairy Tales: Folk Lore and evil children
- Evil, children and the supernatural
- Evil and the end of childhood (teenagers, adulthood)
- Legal perspectives (social work, prison, law)
- Forensic and Clinical/Biological perspectives
- Child murderers; children who kill (Mary Bell, Thomson and Venables, school shootings)
- Evil, children and the military. Children and war. Child soldiers
- Topographies (e.g. evil in the playground, the child and nature)
- Evil, children and/in literature (e.g., Lord of the Flies; The Wasp Factory, The Bad Seed, Carrie, We Need to Talk About Kevin)
- Evil, children and/in films and television (e.g., “Chuckie,” Damien Thorne, Regan MacNeill, Joffrey Baratheon, Stewie Griffin)
- “Protecting” children from evil (film ratings, Satanic Panics etc.)
- “Original Sin” and evil children (philosophy, theology)
- Bastard children (e.g., Shakespeare)
- The psychology and psychopathology of evil children
- Economics of children and evil
- Children, evil and social policies
- Children, education and evil
- Inherited evils: the sins of the parents; children, evil and family
- Children who become evil adults
- Children in Ancient Rituals and burial practices
We invite people from all disciplines, professions and vocations to come together in dialogue, to provide a space and a level of legitimacy for a subject, or subjects that is traditionally seen as unimaginable, a socially taboo and even associated with pathology, by providing a forum for ideas and arguments that might otherwise not receive adequate attention and discussion. The ultimate goal is in a sense to expose the current topic to the light of day for examination of the intellectual, the emotional and the personal.
Currently, the significant areas of interest include literature, sociology, communications, art, psychology, politics, philosophy, history, anthropology, and other social sciences and humanities. Yet the scope of the conference is not limited to these fields or studies as it does not strike to narrowly define, or define at all, what areas constitute the significant not to eliminate the spirit of interdisciplinary efforts. The meeting is also open to other fields such as biology, biochemistry, political sciences, economics, etc. This kind of interdisciplinary engagement is always enjoyable and fruitful and makes for good networking and collaborative possibilities. Activists, anthropologists, archaeologies, archivists, artists and other creative professionals, civil servants, members of the clergy, clinicians, correctional authorities, historians, journalists, jurists and other legal professionals, military personnel, researchers, writers and others with an interest in the project are encouraged to submit proposals.
What To Send
The aim of this interdisciplinary conference and collaborative networking event is to bring people together and encourage creative conversations in the context of a variety of formats: papers, seminars, workshops, storytelling, performances, poster presentations, panels, q&a’s, round-tables etc.
300 word proposals, presentations, abstracts and other forms of contribution and participation should be submitted by Friday 20th August 2021. Other forms of participation should be discussed in advance with the Organising Chair.
All submissions will be double reviewed, under anonymous (blind) conditions, by a global panel drawn from members of the Project Development Team and the Advisory Board. In practice our procedures usually entail that by the time a proposal is accepted, it will have been triple and quadruple reviewed.
You will be notified of the panel’s decision by Monday 23rd August 2021.
If your submission is accepted for the conference, a full draft of your contribution should be submitted by Monday 27th September 2021
Abstracts and proposals may be in Word, PDF, RTF or Notepad formats with the following information and in this order:
a) author(s), b) affiliation as you would like it to appear in the programme, c) email address, d) title of proposal, e) body of proposal, f) up to 10 keywords.
E-mails should be entitled: Evil Children Submission.
Where To Send
Abstracts should be submitted simultaneously to the Organising Chair and the Project Administrator:
Dr Jen Baker:jen@progressiveconnexions.net
Project Administrator (Len Capulli): evilchildren2@progressiveconnexions.net
Details and Information
Registration Fees
The cost for attending the conference is £135, and includes:
~ conference registration fee
~ online registration
~ online abstract and programme submissions
~ access to the conferencing platform
~ ~ a virtual registration areas where conference information and materials will be available
~~ virtual ePoster possibilities
~ ~ virtual break out rooms
~ ~ virtual one-to-one meeting capabilities
~ ~ virtual networking rooms
~ electronic book of Abstracts
~ access to downloads of all conference materials
~ physical copy book of abstracts (on request)
~ participation in project output discussion session
~ live session with the publications team as part of a development meeting
~ discounted rates for any outputs emerging from the event
Calendar of time-lines and deadlines
Friday 20th August 2021
Abstract/Presentation submission
Monday 23rd August 2021
Acceptance/Rejection notification
Booking Forms Open
Wednesday 17th September 2021
Circulation of Draft programme
Monday 27th September 2021
Draft presentations to be submitted
Friday 1st October 2021
Final date for payment
Friday 24th September 2021
Final Programme Circulation
The conferences, meetings and events we organise are not single ‘one-off’ events. They are part of a continual stream of conversations, activities and projects which grow and evolve in different directions. At the conclusion of every meeting, the question needs to be considered: What happens next? After all, there is little personal, educational or professional benefit in gathering people together from around the world and sharing all sorts of fascinating conversations if nothing further is going to happen as a result!
The possible ranges of ‘outputs’ which can productively flow from our meetings is a dynamic response to the dialogues, issues and engagements that take place during the events themselves. And as our meetings are attended by folks who come from different backgrounds, contexts, professions and vocations, what people would like to see developed as a result of our time spent together will always be potentially diverse, fluid and appropriate to what took place.
One range of possible outputs involves publication as a way of continuing the work of a project. Where publishing is a possibility, it is directly referenced in the Call for Papers, Presentations and Participation. Other possible outputs may include, but are not limited to:
~ social media platforms such as Facebook pages and groups, blogs, wikis, Twitter, as vehicles for continuing dialogues, disseminating knowledge and information and bringing new people into the work of the project
~ reviews; reports; policy statements; position papers/statements; declarations of principles
~ proposals for meetings, workshops, courses, schools
~ collaboration gateways, platforms and media
~ personal and professional development opportunities: faculty development; mentoring programmes; cultural cruises; consultancies; summer schools; personal enrichment programmes
The range of outputs is dependent on how little or how much you would like to become involved. Don’t let the end of the meeting signal the end of your involvement with the project. Please get involved, bounce ideas around, think out loud – we’d love to hear about what you’d like to do and are always happy to talk about what is possible.
Payment Process
All participants must complete an online booking form by Thursday 19th August 2021 at the latest.
After the deadline has expired, an invoice will be drawn up and sent to you; the invoice will contain all the necessary information for you to pay by bank transfer, Paypal or credit card.
The invoice must be settled by Wednesday 15th Spetember 2021.
It is the responsibility of delegates to ensure that payment is made by this date. Failure to receive payment will result in your booking being cancelled.
Payment Methods
There are a number of ways payment can be made.
Bank Transfer
Payment may be made using bank transfer. There will be an option to pay in either GBP (£ Sterling) or Euro (€). Full details to enable a bank transfer are made available on your conference invoice. If paying by this method, you must agree to pay all charges at the sending and receiving banks.
By Invoice
You may request that an invoice be sent to you which you may forward to your institution. It is your responsibility to ensure that the invoice is paid before the payment deadline.
Online
Your invoice will include a link to pay through a secure and encrypted online payment system. Please click the link to use this method.
Credit Card
Payment may also be made using credit card. We cannot accept American Express or Discovery as a form of payment.
Paypal
Payment may also be made using Paypal. If paying by this method please send us the email account connected with your Paypal account and we will forward you a request for payment.
IMPORTANT
All fees are payable in advance. No delegate will be permitted entry to the conference if an invoice is still unpaid.
We appreciate that in 2021, a lot of folks are already Skype and Zoom fatigued! This is why we have been taking our time to partner with the British software developer ShockLogic, to create a customised Progressive Connexions oriented digital platform which will hopefully allow us to create a unique virtual environment which will let us stage as closely as possible the kinds of face-to-face 'in person' encounters and engagements which we successfully achieve in the seminar rooms.
The particular aspects of the platform means we have:
~ online registration
~ a secure platform available only to conference attendees
~ a networking area that can serve as a social hall akin to our typical registration and refreshment areas where folks can meet, see materials and information, chat etc
~ online abstract and programme submissions
~ ePoster capabilities
~ break out rooms where needed
~ one-to-one meeting capabilities
~ networking rooms
The video calls themselves are zoom-based, but embedded within the ShockLogic platform, they share the same sense of community and continuity that we are so committed to in in-person events.
What’s so Special?
A fresh, friendly, dynamic format – at Progressive Connexions we are dedicated to breaking away from the stuffy, old-fashion conference formats, where endless presentations are read aloud off PowerPoints. We work to bring you an interactive format, where exchange of experience and information is alternated with captivating workshops, engaging debates and round tables, time set aside for getting to know each other and for discussing common future projects and initiatives, all in a warm, relaxed, egalitarian atmosphere.
A chance to network with international professionals – the beauty of our interdisciplinary events is that they bring together professionals from all over the world and from various fields of activity, all joined together by a shared passion. Not only will the exchange of experience, knowledge and stories be extremely valuable in itself, but we seek to create lasting, ever-growing communities around our projects, which will become a valuable resource for those belonging to them.
A chance to be part of constructing change – There is only one thing we love as much as promoting knowledge: promoting real, lasting social change by encouraging our participants to take collective action, under whichever form is most suited to their needs and expertise (policy proposals, measuring instruments, research projects, educational materials, etc.) We will support all such actions in the aftermath of the event as well, providing a platform for further discussions, advice from the experts on our Project Advisory Team and various other tools and intellectual resources, as needed.
An opportunity to discuss things that matter to you – Our events are not only about discussing how things work in the respective field, but also about how people work in that field – what are the struggles, problems and solutions professionals have found in their line of work, what are the areas where better communication among specialists is needed and how the interdisciplinary approach can help bridge those gaps and help provide answers to questions from specific areas of activity.
An unforgettable experience – When participating in a Progressive Connexions event, there is a good chance you will make some long-time friends. Our group sizes are intimate, our venues are comfortable and relaxing and our event locations are suited to the history and culture of the event.
Ethos
Progressive Connexions believes it is a mark of personal courtesy and professional respect to your colleagues that all delegates should attend for the full duration of the meeting. If you are unable to make this commitment, please do not submit an abstract or proposal for presentation.
Please note: Progressive Connexions is a not-for-profit network and we are not in a position to be able to assist with conference travel or subsistence, nor can we offer discounts off published rates and fees.
Progressive Connexions is a not-for-profit network inspiring inclusive interdisciplinary research, publishing and collaboration
Copyright © 2019 - Progressive Connexion