Wea he ed Gi ls: A Co pus S udy o Gi lhood as
Exposu e in Aus alian YA Fic ion
This wo king pape p esen s a co pus-based in es iga ion in o how con empo a y Aus alian YA ic ion
cons uc s gi lhood as an exposed, uns able, and en i onmen ally en angled condi ion. Ra he han
aming gi lhood as a s able iden i y o p edic able de elopmen al s age, many ex s depic young
emale p o agonis s li ing wi hin ongoing s a es o ela ional, emo ional, and ecological ola ili y. Using
a pu pose-buil co pus o Aus alian YA no els (2000–2024) ea u ing gi l p o agonis s, his s udy
applies keywo d ex ac ion, colloca ion mapping, sen imen a cs, and seman ic pa e n analysis o
iden i y linguis ic and na a i e pa e ns associa ed wi h gi lhood. Ea ly obse a ions sugges ha
Aus alian YA ic ion pe sis en ly links gi lhood o ulne abili y, ca e p essu es, en i onmen al ins abili y,
and sus ained o ms o a ec i e labou . This wo king pape ou lines he esea ch design and
p elimina y indings ha will be expanded in he ull-leng h a icle in eg a ing co pus linguis ics, gi lhood
s udies, and eminis en i onmen al humani ies.
Keywo ds: gi lhood s udies, Aus alian YA ic ion, co pus linguis ics, wea he ing, exposu e, a ec ,
ola ili y
### In oduc ion This wo king pape o ms pa o a b oade examina ion o how Aus alian YA ic ion
na a es gi lhood unde condi ions o social, emo ional, and en i onmen al p essu e. While adi ional
models imagine gi lhood as a cohe en pa h owa d ma u i y, he p elimina y analysis o his co pus
sugges s a e y di e en na a i e mode: one in which gi l p o agonis s emain en angled in ins abili y,
ca e obliga ions, and ecological unce ain y. This pape ou lines he aims, scope, and heo e ical
a ionale o he p ojec in i s ea ly s ages.
### Me hods O e iew The co pus includes Aus alian YA no els published be ween 2000 and 2024
ea u ing gi l p o agonis s. Tex s a e analysed h ough: • Keywo d ex ac ion • Colloca ion and seman ic
clus e ing • Sen imen ajec o y mapping • Lexical pa e n compa ison wi h gene al ic ion co po a
These compu a ional indings a e complemen ed by close eading and heo e ical lenses om gi lhood
s udies, a ec heo y, and eminis en i onmen al humani ies.
### P elimina y Obse a ions • Signi ican lexical clus e s eme ge a ound ca e, esponsibili y, and
emo ional labou . • En i onmen al and a mosphe ic e minology co-occu s s ongly wi h
gi lhood- ela ed e ms. • Sen imen a cs display ola ili y and suspended esolu ion, mi o ing hemes o
ongoingness. These ea ly insigh s guide he nex s age o analysis and heo e ical syn hesis.
### Re e ences (Wo king Pape ) Alaimo, S acy. *Bodily Na u es*. Hamil on, Jenni e Mae, and As ida
Neimanis. In e iew (2025). Neimanis, As ida. *Bodies o Wa e *. Mi chell, Claudia and Jacqueline
Reid-Walsh. *Gi lhood S udies*. Sha pe, Ch is ina. *In he Wake*. Addi ional e e ences will be added
upon ull d a ing.
