Objective Despite overall agreement that children’s voices matter in the development of policies affecting them, little effort has beenmade to develop cultural practices encouraging utopianism as a critical attitude to reality and a means of facilitating theexpression of formative opinions on the part of children. Nor have young readers’ interpretations of utopian literature beeninvestigated as indicating their perception of the sociopolitical arrangements around them, including the context of the EU.Notwithstanding the popularity of YA dystopian fiction, little attention has been given to utopian contents in other children’stexts. A specialist in children’s literature studies and utopian studies, Deszcz-Tryhubczak addresses these lacunae in aproject examining utopianism as a significant element of discourse about children, manifesting in various cultural productsaddressed to them. She also conducts empirical participatory research (with children as peer researchers) aimed at creatingegalitarian spaces within which young readers are not only heard but also collaborate with adults towards a betterunderstanding of how books shape ideas for the desirable future. This approach—an innovation in children’s literaturestudies—has a huge potential for making children’s literature scholarship relevant to young people’s lives as a culturalpractice sustaining intergenerational dialogue. Thus this project is challenge-based and integrates unprecedentedlychildren’s literature studies, empirical studies of literature and media, utopian studies, and childhood studies. The fellow willpublish its results in one article and a co-edited a collection. She will organize a colloquium for international scholars. Herstay at Anglia Ruskin will be crucial in her obtaining full professorship and in her leading a children’s literature researchcenter in Poland. No secondment is proposed, but the research and public outreach activities provide opportunities toexpose her work to the public. Fields of science social scienceseducational sciencesdidacticshumanitieslanguages and literatureliterature studiessocial sciencessociologyfamily studies Programme(s) H2020-EU.1.3. - EXCELLENT SCIENCE - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions Main Programme H2020-EU.1.3.2. - Nurturing excellence by means of cross-border and cross-sector mobility Topic(s) MSCA-IF-2016 - Individual Fellowships Call for proposal H2020-MSCA-IF-2016 See other projects for this call Funding Scheme MSCA-IF-EF-ST - Standard EF Coordinator ANGLIA RUSKIN UNIVERSITY HIGHER EDUCATION CORPORATION Net EU contribution € 97 727,40 Address BISHOP HALL LANE CM1 1SQ Chelmsford United Kingdom See on map Region East of England Essex Heart of Essex Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Participation in EU R&I programmes Opens in new window HORIZON collaboration network Opens in new window Total cost € 97 727,40