Welcome to the Children's and YA Literature and Culture community! We’re so happy you’re here and we want you take full advantage of the opportunities our new platform provides. Please read over the code of conduct so we can continue to ensure a safe and supportive space for all. Thank you for your dedication to the Popular Culture Association!

 

Call For Papers

 

Children’s and YA Literature & Culture

All Proposals & Abstracts Must Be Submitted through the PCA Database.
Please submit a proposal to only one area at a time. 

 

CALL FOR PAPERS

 

The 2026 Popular Culture Association Conference will be held in Atlanta, Georgia, Wednesday, April 8 through Saturday, April 11, 2026. The Children’s and YA Literature and Culture Area invites presentations for papers on any aspect of children’s and YA popular culture: material culture, media, games, advertising, literature, and so on. Past topics have included recent films/television series; technology and social media; books, authors, and series; and issues and trends in children’s and YA literature and culture such as race, gender, and sexuality, dystopian fiction, the controversy about adults reading YA fiction, and environmentalism. New approaches to classic children’s and young adult literature and culture are also welcome.

 

We are particularly interested in papers examining the impact of #WeNeedDiverseBooks on children’s and YA literature and culture, as well as papers exploring book banning (especially as it applies to school libraries and/or books taught in schools). In addition, we are interested in papers exploring LGBTQ+ children’s and YA books and books about mental health and disability.

 

PCA encourages interdisciplinary approaches to popular culture in its presentations, which should be 15-20 minutes long.

 

All proposals and abstracts must be submitted to the PCA database.

 

Please do NOT submit papers to more than one session of PCA/ACA at the same time. Also be sure of having travel funds should your paper be accepted. Do NOT submit a paper unless you feel confident of attending the conference. No shows are noted.

 

Send inquiries to (Note: The actual proposals are to be submitted directly to the PCA online site):

 

Dr. Amie Doughty

English Department

322 Netzer Admin

SUNY Oneonta

Oneonta, NY 13820

E-mail (preferred): Amie.Doughty@oneonta.edu

 

For additional information and instructions go to www.pcaaca.org

 

 

Important Dates to Remember:

 

• Database opens for Submissions - Sept. 1, 2025
• Early Bird Registration Begins - Sept. 1, 2025
• Deadline for Paper Proposals - Nov. 30, 2025
• Travel Grant Applications Due - Dec. 15, 2025
• Early Bird Registration Ends for Presenters - Dec. 31, 2025
• Regular Registration Begins for Presenters - Jan. 1, 2026 
• Travel Grant Decisions / Notifications - Jan. 31, 2026
• Regular Registration Ends for Presenters - Jan. 31, 2026
• Late Registration Starts for Presenters - Feb. 1, 2026
• Preliminary Program draft available - Feb. 6, 2026

 

Those Presenters Not Registered by Feb. 15 Will be Dropped from the Program

 

CONFERENCE IN ATLANTA, GA - April 8-11, 2026