CFP: Educational Resilience among Asian Children in Challenging Family Environments

(DEADLINE: 15 SEPTEMBER 2014)

Date	:	4-5 February 2015
Venue	:	Asia Research Institute, National University of Singapore
Website	:	http://www.ari.nus.edu.sg/events_categorydetails.asp?categoryid=6&eventid=1573

Educational resilience (also called academic resilience) for an individual refers to academic competence despite being high risk or stressful environments (Martin, 2002; Masten, 1994). Understanding the processes involved in achieving academic resilience could provide theoretical and policy relevant tools for breaking the intergenerational cycle of poor academic achievement, poor job prospects and poverty for those less privileged individuals. 

We propose to organize a conference to invite leading scholars to investigate the pathways to educational resilience, particularly focus on protective factors specific to Asian contexts that can buffer the negative effects of low socio-economic status, dysfunctional, or migrant family environments on Asian children’s educational outcomes. Currently, the booming economy and the large population (4.6 billion — more than a half of the world) make the study of Asia more important than ever. In addition, a series of challenging problems such as large poverty rate, uneven distribution of resources between regions, rural poor migrating to cities, and high family divorce rates may adversely shape children’s educational development through influencing their family resources, functioning and circumstances. Family, as the most influential system plays critical roles in individual’s development. Therefore, eliminating/ reducing the pile-up of family risk factors and improving family’s capacity to promote resilience development of Asian children faced with these challenging life circumstances are meaningful and necessary.

The proposed conference aims to offer an excellent opportunity for scholars to put their unique cases in contexts, to learn from other countries, and ultimately to develop new research agendas and methodologies for further comparative research on the issue.

This conference will bring together family scholars to examine the following themes:

1.       Investigate the salient factors that ‘protect’ children from the negative influences of poor, migrant or divorce family environments on educational outcomes in Asian context.

2.      Examine the effectiveness of educational resilience intervention programs delivery in Asian countries.

3.       Compare the effects of protective factors on children’s educational outcomes across Asian countries.

We call for papers that use either qualitative or quantitative method to examine these issues. Cross-national comparisons and longitudinal studies are particularly welcome. We will focus on Asian context, but not limited to the Asian context. Some comparisons between eastern and western will be encouraged. Researchers can include other non-family factors that help us to further understand the role of family relative to these non-family factors. Thus everyone can include their non-family factors of interest, but they must ensure that family is one of the major concerns in their paper.

References:
Martin, A. (2002). Motivation and Academic Resilience: Developing a Model for Student Enhancement. Australian Journal of Education, 46(1), 34-49.
Masten, A. S. (1994). Resilience in Individual Development: Successful Adaption Despite Risk and Adversity, in M. C. Wang & E. W. Gordon (Eds.), Educational Resilience in Inner-city America: Challenges and Prospects (pp.3-25). Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.

SUBMISSION OF PROPOSALS

We invite those interested in participating in the conference to submit original paper proposals. We expect to publish selected papers from those accepted for presentation in a monograph/special journal issue. Paper proposals should include a title, an abstract of 300 words, a short biography of 150 words for submissions by 15 September 2014. Please send all proposals to NUS ARI Academic Resilience Workshop atari.resilience@gmail.com. Click here for the Paper Proposal Submission Form. Decisions on acceptance of proposals will be sent out no later on 1 October 2014. Final papers (5,000-8,000 words) will be due 18 January 2015 for circulation to all participants before the workshop.

Based on the quality of proposals and the availability of funds, partial or full funding will be granted to successful applicants. Participants are therefore encouraged to seek funding for travel from their home institutions. Full funding will cover air travel to Singapore by the most economical means, plus board and lodging for the duration of the conference.

CONTACT DETAILS

Abstract Submission

NUS ARI Academic Resilience Workshop

Email | ari.resilience@gmail.com

Conference Conveners

Dr Haibin LI

Asia Research Institute, National University of Singapore
Email | arilih@nus.edu.sg

Prof Wei-Jun Jean YEUNG

Asia Research Institute, and Department of Sociology, National University of Singapore

Email | ariywj@nus.edu.sg