Feb 1 – Exhibition “Current Social Problems in Children’s Literature and Film” 🗓

Can children’s literature address serious or controversial topics? Are such topics simply inappropriate for children? Or is it rather a matter of the narrative strategy that is being used?
Based on the Advanced Research Seminar 532 “Current Social Problems Expressed in Children’s Literature and Film,” this exhibition shows how creative, diplomatic, and inspiring children’s books can be in addressing topics that are difficult to grasp or cope with, even for adults.

Topics, among others:

• Loneliness as a Universal Childhood Issue in the Anime series Naruto and Naruto
  Shippuden
• Life and Death in “The Fall of Freddie the Leaf” by Leo Buscaglia
• Spookley, the Square Pumpkin
• “Superstars in History”: The Civil Rights Movement

The posters and presentations in this exhibition are the results of students’ projects from the American Studies Advanced Research Seminar 532 “Current Social Problems Expressed in Children’s Literature,” which was taught by Prof. Dr. Mita Banerjee (mita.banerjee@uni-mainz.de) in the winter term of 2023/24.