Children's Books: From Shelves to Streets. Children's publishing as a tool for social change in the Italian 'anti-gender' scenario

• Main Author: Poletti, Elena Maria
• Format: Others
• Language: English
• Published: Malmö universitet, Fakulteten för kultur och samhälle (KS) 2018
• Subjects: communication; social change; children's literature; gender issues; Humanities and the Arts; Humaniora och konst
• Online Access: http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:mau:diva-21772

In my Degree Project I developed a case study of two independent publishers that promote children’s literature with a special focus on diversity and challenging gender stereotypes, situating them within the bigger framework of activism for gender equality and against homophobia in Italy. I looked at the potential of children’s literature as a significant instrument of communication for social change and analysed the publishers’ activities as a form of activism, specifically connected with the sphere of education. I narrow my analysis to two publishers: Lo Stampatello, specialising in children’s literature against gender stereotypes and homophobia, and Settenove, specialising in the theme of gender equality. I analysed first a selection of texts from these publishers and then some of their diffusion practices, through which they engage with other entities dealing with gender equality and LGBT rights. I see these publishers as self-aware agents of change, that produce messages about equality, deliberately diffused into the public and specifically targeting an audience of children, parents, teachers and educators, and that play an active role in the scenario of contentious politics [Tilly and Tarrow, 2007].