Past research shows that autistic children can and do create imaginary companions (ICs), and that these ICs resemble those that neurotypical children create. Neurotypical children creating ICs have been found to have significantly more developed theory of mind (ToM) and social understanding among other enhanced social cognitive skills. The study…

Purpose: This paper aims to contribute to a growing body of work (re)imagining the future for Black girls by calling Western notions of time into question. At its core, this paper argues that all Black girls are imaginative beings and that it is essential that Black girlhood imagination as a mode of future-making praxis be considered an integral…

This article documents weaving as a decolonizing epistemic tool for feminist futures that emerges from the work of our collective -- the Feminist Imaginary Research Network. As a collective of feminist adult educators who work in both the academy and women's museums, weaving challenges the centrality of rationality over other ways of knowing and…

The present case study is inspired by preliminary observations of a young adolescent's use of private speech within pretend play to develop disciplinary knowledge in the home domain. Using audio-recordings of the learner's pretend play as a starting point, followed by informal conversations with her, the parent-as-researcher investigates the…

Research suggests that mental contrasting with implementation intentions (MCII) enhances commitment and goal attainment. However, most studies have used limited comparison conditions. The present study compared MCII against two other potentially effective approaches: autonomous planning (AP), and solution-focused planning (SFP). It was thought…

Afrofuturism often acts as an experiential portal that guides readers to reflect on the current state of the world, to hypothesize about the trajectory of society, and to challenge any possible future that continues the subjugation of Black people. As a genre that is concerned with the elevation and liberation of Black people, Afrofuturism aligns…

Feminist Imaginaries are psychological and social spaces where creative possibilities are overflowing. They facilitate new ways of being, new ways of knowing and new ways of knowledge creation. This paper embraces a decolonial and feminist approach to storytelling, remembering, reclaiming and retelling; telling the stories of a band of wandering…

Blockbuster young adult (YA) dystopian novels invite readers to explore questions of identity and agency in fictional societies impacted by familiar concerns, such as increased social and political violence and state surveillance. As young people navigate similar issues in their own lived experiences, these texts can serve as transformative…

This study explores how Black girls express their "Black girl imagination" while participating in a critical, informal science learning program, Empowering Girls Through Art & Science, designed to prioritize the positive visibility of Black girls and promote the critical exploration of scientific histories. The goal of the research…

Situated within the changing economic and political contexts of China's modernization and globalization, children's fantasy novels prove to be apt vehicles for exploring the plights and challenges that women and girls face in the new millennium in China. This article provides a feminist critique of two contemporary Chinese children's fantasy…

Through the story of Korean Bible Women and the South Korean #MeToo movement today, this paper explores how Korean women's innate creativity and imagination have challenged the patriarchal and hierarchical standpoints of the Korean Protestant church and society. Furthermore, this paper invites the Korean Protestant Church to confront the reality…

Language learners have multiple and changing identities associated with unequal power relations; their direct identity and language learning involves imagination-created identities in communities not immediately accessible or tangible. Imagined identities drive learners' investment in meaningful learning practices. This quantitative study…

This article applies the framework of possible selves to the motivation and persistence behaviours of one group of university students. We draw on possible selves to consider how particular goal-focused actions and life experiences may significantly shape movements towards imagined futures. Utilising a narrative approach from longitudinal data,…

Aspiration for higher education has been a focus of significant policy intervention in Australia for some time, with numerous large-scale research studies investigating the formation of aspiration amongst high school students. However, case studies in particular schools which might provide insights into the complexities and contradictions of…

The purpose of this qualitative case study is to explore the literacy practices of marginalized adolescent youth in India and the relationship of those practices to imagination and identity construction. More than just tools for communication, language and literary practices allow individuals to express their selves and identities as they voice…