Editors: Kateřina Králová and Marileen La Haije, Working Group 2
We are pleased to invite submissions for an upcoming academic publication focusing on the history and memory of care and welfare in past and present, particularly within the contexts of children’s homes, psychiatric hospitals and facilities, community spaces of care, and former or commemorative institutional spaces of care. The aim of this call is to historicize the organization of care at national and transnational levels, to examine the transformative processes that have shaped the landscape of care in Europe and beyond, and to study the memories associated with these institutions, as well as the (collective) memory making processes that are fostered within them.
The provision of care has undergone significant changes over the years, and we seek to shed light on various aspects of these transformations. We encourage submissions from various disciplines that explore the historical, social, cultural, artistic, policy and activist dimensions of care, emphasizing both national and transnational perspectives. Contributions focusing on the experiences of marginalized or vulnerable groups, such as children, refugees, people who experience mental suffering, and others who have been recipients of institutional care, are particularly welcome. We seek to contribute to a deeper understanding of the historical, contemporary and transformative aspects of care and welfare, allowing for critical reflections on the past, present, and future of care practices, both within and outside institutional settings.
Topics of interest include, but are not limited to:
- Historical analysis of the development and evolution of children’s homes, psychiatric hospitals, and other care institutions.
- Comparative studies of care practices and policies across different countries or regions.
- Exploration of community-based care initiatives (including art-based practices) and their impact on individuals and society.
- Examination of the role of memory and commemoration in present-day care practices (both within and outside institutional settings), and the role of memory and commemoration in shaping our understanding of past care practices.
- Analysis of the intersections between care and stigma, including the challenges associated with the reduction of in-patient care in mental health and institutional children’s homes.
Abstract Submission and Publication Process:
Interested authors are invited to submit an abstract of no more than 300 words, outlining the scope, methodology, and key arguments of their proposed paper. Abstracts should be submitted to the editors, Kateřina Králová and Marileen La Haije, via e-mail: kralova@fsv.cuni.cz and mlahaije@uni-koeln.de. Based on the submitted abstracts, the editors will identify high-quality papers that align with the thematic focus of the publication. Authors of selected abstracts will be invited to submit their full papers for peer review. Accepted papers will be published in a special issue of a suitablejournal, such as Memory Studies), subject to the journal’s review process.
Important Dates:
Abstract Submission Deadline: 29-01-2024
Notification of Acceptance: 22-01-2024
Full Paper Submission Deadline: 06-05-2024
Publication: To be announced
