School of Law and Social Justice hosts innovative Critical Childhood(s) conference
School of Law and Social Justice’s European Children’s Rights Unit (ECRU) hosted the inaugural ‘Critical Childhood(s)’ conference, 3 – 5 July 2024, which showcased some of the most cutting-edge work in contemporary critical childhood and children’s rights scholarship. The conference marked the centenary of the Geneva Declaration of the Rights of the Child (1924).
Organised in partnership with Tema Barn at Linköping University, the Critical Children’s Rights Research Network (CCRR), and supported by the Riksbankens Jubileumsfond, the 3-day conference saw leading scholars from across the globe share knowledge and collaborate on the pressing issues that define the contemporary landscape of children’s rights.
The event provided an invaluable opportunity to share interdisciplinary knowledge among the arts, humanities, and social sciences in the domain of childhood and children’s rights. Delegates saw a diverse collection of presentations and discussions which pushed the boundaries of childhood and children’s rights research.
There were also critical reflections on the advancements made over the past hundred years since the first international declaration of children’s rights, as scholars identified the key issues still affecting children’s rights today and in the future.
Organiser of the conference, Dr Nicolás Brando, Deputy Director of the European Children’s Rights Unit, shared:
“The range of research presented at this event showed how children's rights have evolved globally in the last 100 years, how much has changed, and how much is still needed to bring children’s rights into the 21st century. It was a joy to bring together such an impressive group of leading scholars in critical childhood and children’s rights scholarship to share their insights and learn from one another in this radically diverse and interdisciplinary setting.”
On the centenary of the Geneva Declaration, this conference underscored the importance of critically assessing past achievements and setting priorities for the future to ensure the continued advancement of children’s rights on a global scale.
Find out more about the European Children's Rights Unit on the website.