School of Information Sciences

Hoiem to present research on “child-centered” 19th century children’s nonfiction at ChLA 2018

Elizabeth Hoiem
Elizabeth Hoiem, Associate Professor

Assistant Professor Elizabeth Hoiem will present her research on nineteenth-century children's nonfiction at the Children's Literature Association conference (ChLA 2018), which will be held on June 28-30 in San Antonio, Texas. The theme of the conference, "Refreshing Waters/Turbulent Waters" explores how water is central to children's and young adult literature as a motif and metaphor. 

In her talk, "A Child-Centered Universe: Growth and Development in Nineteenth-Century Children's Nonfiction," she will discuss how children's nonfiction organized knowledge spatially and cognitively in relation to its young readers, making it child-centered. According to Hoiem, books from the nineteenth century established the formula of outward exploration, inward reflection.

"By depicting which children learn, create, and teach new knowledge, children's nonfiction became a site for negotiating information and power. Over the century, the power to move outward became increasingly gendered, with books for girls favoring imaginative movement. Nonfiction books showcase the period's innovative pedagogies, but also the origins of prejudices that remain visible today," Hoiem explained.

Hoiem teaches in the areas of reading and literacy, history of children's literature, and fantasy literature. In her research and teaching, she explores the history of technological innovations in children's literature, from early children's books and toys to contemporary applications of digital pedagogy. She received a 2018 National Endowment for the Humanities Fellowship for her book project, "The Education of Things: Mechanical Literacy in British Culture, 1752-1860." This book investigates the class-politics of "object lessons," a mode of experiential learning that developed during the late-eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, with the rise in child labor and mass literacy. Her recent articles are published in The Lion and the Unicorn and Children's Literature. Hoiem holds a PhD in English from Illinois.

Updated on
Backto the news archive

Related News

iSchool researchers to present at ASSETS 2025

iSchool faculty and students will present their research at the 27th International Association for Computing Machinery (ACM) Special Interest Group (SIG) ACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS 2025), which will be held in Denver, Colorado, October 26–29, 2025. This conference allows researchers to present their scholarship on design, evaluation, use, and education related to computing for people with disabilities and older adults.

Chan to give an invited talk on "Predatory Data"

Professor Anita Say Chan will give an invited lecture at the American University of Beirut (AUB) on October 23. The talk, part of the "Confronted with America" series hosted by the Center for American Studies and Research, will be moderated by Jihad Touma, founding director of AUB's School of Computing and Data Sciences.

Anita Say Chan

iSchool researchers present at ILA 2025

School faculty, staff, and students will present their research at the 2025 Illinois Library Association (ILA) Annual Conference, which will be held on October 14–16 in Rosemont. The theme of this year's conference is "You Belong Here."

Craig named Illinois Library Luminary

Anne Craig, iSchool adjunct lecturer and senior director of the Consortium of Academic and Research Libraries in Illinois (CARLI), has been inducted as an Illinois Library Luminary. The Illinois Library Luminary program, an initiative of the Illinois Library Association (ILA), recognizes those who have made a significant contribution to Illinois libraries.

Anne Craig

iSchool researchers present at CSCW 2025

Several faculty, students, and recent grads will present their research at the 28th ACM Conference on Computer-Supported Cooperative Work and Social Computing (CSCW 2025), which will be held October 18–22 in Bergen, Norway. The online portion of the conference will be held on October 10. 

School of Information Sciences

501 E. Daniel St.

MC-493

Champaign, IL

61820-6211

Voice: (217) 333-3280

Fax: (217) 244-3302

Email: ischool@illinois.edu

Back to top