Speculative Child Figures at the End of the (White) World

Keywords: child figures, speculative fiction, anti-Blackness, apocalypse, survival, virsus, regeneration, fire

Abstract

The child-future join is pervasive in childhood studies and popular culture. Instead of disavowing the relation, I consider what might be generated if we “stay with the trouble” of its cocomposition in the making of worlds. To do so, I turn to a zombie child named Melanie from The Girl with All the Gifts to grapple with how the end of the world might not be a cause for mourning, how fiery landscapes can allow for species regeneration, and how viruses might incite counternarratives of community amid contagion.

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Published
2022-06-16
How to Cite
Ashton, E. (2022). Speculative Child Figures at the End of the (White) World. Journal of Childhood Studies, 92-106. https://doi.org/10.18357/jcs202219896
Section
Articles from Research