Orphans and Abandoned Children in Europe (18th - 20th centuries)
International Workshop
3rd - 4th October 2013
''Nicolae Iorga'' Institute of History, Romanian Academy Bucharest, Romania
In a world dominated by poverty, orphans and abandoned children hold a
place apart given the alternatives open to them and the attitudes
towards them. Over the centuries, the State, the Church, and individuals
have created and financed special institutions, also providing their
personal support on special occasions (religious holidays and feasts,
public events etc.), in a more or less regular manner. But what were the
norms these children and those around them had to respect in order to
achieve a certain “official'” ideal? Can we trace any change over the
course of time when it comes to the welfare system intended for these
disadvantaged children or acts of philanthropy? What kind of social
policy did the State follow and did it differ from one country or region
to the next? These are just a few of the questions that might arise
from a discussion about the institutional issue. On another hand, we
should also keep in mind that besides the rôle the authorities (whether
ecclesiastical or civil) played, a complex social network was created
around the child, with its own importance in shaping his or her future
life. The world of the orphan or abandoned child is also a world where
illegitimacy and family (or to be more precise the absence of family)
created the premises for attitudes constructed, whether publicly or not,
around words like shame, sin, and delinquency.
This two-day workshop will focus on orphans and abandoned children as
two distinct social categories, and we encourage scholars from not only
Western but also Central and South-Eastern Europe to participate. The
main topics of discussion will be:
1) Institutions and social policies relating to orphans and abandoned
children. This topic will include State and Church initiatives, as well
as individual initiatives. We intend to look at the way in which these
differed from one to another and at the prevalent trends in child
development. Medical assistance, issues of infant mortality within these
social categories, and the training given to these children will be
among the subjects to be tackled.
2) Children and family. This topic will cover three different issues
relating to both orphans and abandoned children: firstly, the importance
of their relationship with their single parent or whatever distant
relatives they might have; and secondly, adoption as the path to a new
and legitimate family. In addition, where this did not occur, another
issue arises: the baptism of all those left to the mercy of Christians
or institutions without any proof of identification.
3) Seeking respectability or choosing delinquency. This discussion topic
will look at the presence and importance of work in the lives of such
children as they found a place for themselves in society. From a
different viewpoint, delinquency was also a course in life that some
people believed was foreordained for these children. And thus their
activity alongside other lawbreakers needs to be highlighted.
We also welcome any other topic related to the subject of our workshop,
so please feel free to propose.
Paper proposals should include an
abstract of no more than 500 words, a Curriculum Vitae and the contact
details of the presenter (affiliation, e-mail adress). Please send them
to Nicoleta Roman, ''Nicolae Iorga'' Institute of History, Romanian
Academy, Bucharest, Romania: nicoleta.roman@gmail.com no later that
25th of May. The working language of this workshop will be English, but
papers in French will also be welcome as long as they will have an
equivalent in English (PowerPoint presentation / a printed form). The
organizer will provide accommodation for three nights, while travel
expenses need to be covered by the participants.
Organizer
Nicoleta ROMAN
''Nicolae Iorga'' Institute of History – Romanian Academy,
Bucharest, Romania
Advisory Board
Vincent GOURDON, Centre Roland Mousnier – Paris Sorbonne University Isabelle ROBIN-ROMERO, Centre Roland Mousnier – Paris Sorbonne University
Silvia SOVIÈ, Institute of Historical Research – University of London
Constanþa VINTILÃ-GHIÞULESCU, ''Nicolae Iorga'' Institute of History – Romanian Academy
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