About the Journal

History

Research on Diversity in Youth Literature was collaboratively founded in December 2016 by a group of activist scholars who embody, research, and foreground diversities, inclusivity, advocacy, and visibility for scholarship that is not always privileged/acknowledged within academia. With the support of St. Catherine University’s Master of Library and Information Science Program and University Library, RDYL published its inaugural issue in 2018.

In summer 2022, RDYL moved to The Center for Children's Books, School of Information Sciences, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Previous 4 volumes will remain at the original St. Catherine University RDYL website; RDYL 5.1 will be the first issue to be hosted on the Illinois IOPN platform. We will continue to publish 2 issues per year. Each issue generally includes peer reviewed articles, book reviews, cover art, and a topical forum.

Mission

The mission of Research on Diversity in Youth Literature is to publish scholarship attending to issues of diversity, equity, social justice, inclusion, and intersectionality in youth literature, culture, and media.

At a time when conversations regarding the lack of diversity, erasure, and appropriations in children’s literature have become more amplified, RDYL is an effort to:

• diversify our discussions regarding youth literature and media
• bring into dialogue with one another voices from the interrelated fields of librarianship, education, literature, communication, publishing, and so on
• provide space for emerging scholars and undervalued scholarship

We are open to essays, interviews, illustrations, and other formats as they pertain to diversity in children’s and young adult literature in all media. Please see our submissions page for more information.

ISSN: 2832-8531