Diversity and children's museums: Tapping the potential of children's archives, prize lists, and museum practices

Dr Devika Mehra (IPE Fellow, Institute of Languages, Cultures and Societies, School of Advanced Study)

In recent years there has been a surge in interest in children's archives, specially curated exhibitions and prize culture, and their association with diversity and inclusion. What is the role of museum practices, archival research, and prize culture in addressing questions of diversity and inclusion in children's literature? In this talk, I will investigate the impact of museum practices and archival research at Seven Stories, National Centre for Children's Books (UK) and Internationale Jugendbibliothek (Germany) in creating awareness about diversity in children's literature. I will consider the intersection between archival research and the participatory practice of creating toolkits and curating exhibitions as essential alternative knowledge production modes that amplify ongoing discussions on diversity and historically minoritised voices in children's literature scholarship. I will explore how prize catalogues such as The White Ravens, published annually by Internationale Jugendbibliothek (Germany), influence the global discourse on diversity in international children's and youth literature through its typologies and categorisation.