Conference Program

This contribution begins with a central question in the educational field: in what ways might the choices and attitudes of adults contribute—sometimes unconsciously—to the consolidation of stereotypes and the reproduction of forms of structural marginality (Galtung, 2006; hooks, 2020). Recent literature highlights how teachers may pay greater attention to, or grant greater recognition to, learners perceived as belonging to the dominant group—that is, those who share the prevailing cultural and social references (Fallon et al., 2023). This mechanism may disadvantage those who are perceived as “others” or “different” (Dell’Anna, Parisi, Pedron, 2024). Such dynamics are linked to cognitive processes of belonging and social categorization, through which people tend to distinguish between an in-group, toward which stronger identification and appreciation develop, and an out-group, which is more exposed to forms of exclusion or devaluation. bell hooks (2020) emphasizes the need for teachers to recognize the value of situated knowledge and to adopt a reflective stance regarding their own positionality, highlighting how awareness of one’s standpoint and its identity implications are necessary conditions for creating educational spaces that are genuinely critical and inclusive. From this perspective, inclusion is conceived as a dynamic process, constructed also through everyday relationships, choices, and practices (Booth & Ainscow, 2014; Mitchell & Sutherland, 2020).

This contribution aims to focus attention on picture books, considered narrative tools of great narrative and pedagogical power—symbolic spaces for encountering otherness, but at the same time potential vehicles for stereotypical representations (Beseghi, 2003; Zizioli, 2017; Terrusi, 2024; Coll-Planas & Garcia-Castillo, 2025). Starting from the question: in what ways do the representations found in picture books contribute to the reproduction of stereotypes and forms of discrimination in educational contexts? The paper intends to critically reflect on the role of visual and textual narratives in the processes of identity formation and the shaping of children’s imaginaries. In line with bell hooks’ perspective (2020), which conceives education as a practice of freedom and as the construction of communities capable of valuing the plurality of experiences and voices, the paper will explore the possibility of using picture books as pedagogical devices for the deconstruction of stereotypes and for the reactivation of plural perspectives on identity, fostering practices of intersubjective recognition and critical dialogue (Coll-Planas & Garcia-Castillo, 2025). In this direction, reference is made to the idea of engaged pedagogy proposed by bell hooks, in which theory and practice intertwine in the construction of educational contexts capable of supporting forms of democratic and transformative participation (Bocci & De Castro, 2022; Bianchi & D’Antone, 2024). The picture book thus emerges not only as a cultural object, but as an educational device capable of promoting awareness, inclusion, and critical thinking within educational settings. An intersectional lens provides the conceptual framework for understanding how more conscious educational practices and choices can help build plural and welcoming spaces for learning, participation, and encounter, within the perspective of a critical and transformative pedagogy.