WHEN: June 16th and 17th, 2023
WHERE: Fred Rogers Institute at Saint Vincent College
Fred Rogers first looked into the camera and asked us to be his neighbor more than fifty years ago, and 2023 will mark the twentieth year since his passing. Academic scholars in a wide range of fields have produced a number of works in recent decades extending and exploring his influence on American children and childhood. It is appropriate at this moment to take stock of that legacy, to examine and assess the myriad ways that he shaped our history and culture. We are also interested in the broader social and cultural context that laid the groundwork for Mister Rogers work, especially those developments in childrearing prescriptions that emerged in the decades before he began his career in children’s media. The conference organizers invite scholars from a wide range of fields to reflect on Fred Rogers’ place in American childhood, media, and American culture over the past half century. This conference will be of interest to scholars interested in history, children’s media, children’s literature, education, sociology, communication, psychology, and religion. All presenters must register for the conference.
Individual papers/presentations will be 20 minutes and papers will be grouped together by theme. Panel presentations will be a total of 75 minutes.
The proposal deadline was October 28th, 2022 - the submission links are now closed. Information on Registration for the Conference will be available in early 2023.