The Fan Studies Network

Call for Papers
7th Biennial Slayage Conference on the Whedonverses
Kingston University, Kingston upon Thames, England, UK

7-10 July 2016

Slayage: The Journal of the Whedon Studies Association, the Whedon Studies Association, and conveners Stacey Abbott and Tanya R. Cochran solicit proposals for the seventh biennial Slayage Conference on the Whedonverses (SCW7). This conference dedicated to the imaginative universe(s) of Joss Whedon will be held on the campus of Kingston University, Kingston upon Thames, England, UK, 7-10 July 2016. Simon Brown of Kingston University will serve as local arrangements chair, supported by the Euroslayage organizing committee Bronwen Calvert, Lorna Jowett, and Michael Starr.

We welcome proposals of 200-300 words (or an abstract of a completed paper) on any aspect of Whedon’s television and web texts (Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel, FireflyDr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog, DollhouseMarvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.); his films (Serenity, The Cabin in the Woods, Marvel’s The Avengers, Much Ado About Nothing); his comics (e.g. Fray; Astonishing X-Men; Runaways; Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season Eight, Nine, and Ten; Angel: After the Fall; Angel & Faith Season Nine andTen); or any element of the work of Whedon and his collaborators. Additionally, a proposal may address paratexts, fandoms, or Whedon’s extracurricular—political and activist—activities, such as his involvement with Equality Now. As this is the firstSlayage conference to take place in Europe, we also welcome proposals about Whedon’s work in relation to notions of Britishness, heritage, globalization, language, as well as its transnational and international reception. We invite presentations from the perspective of any discipline: literature, history, communications, film and television studies, women’s studies, religion, linguistics, music, cultural studies, and others. In other words, multidisciplinary discussions of the text, the social context, the audience, the producers, the production, and more are all appropriate. A proposal/abstract should demonstrate familiarity with already-published scholarship in the field, which includes dozens of books, hundreds of articles, and over a dozen years of the blind peer-reviewed journal Slayage.

An individual paper is strictly limited to a reading time of 20 minutes, and we encourage, though do not require, self-organized panels of three presenters. Proposals for workshops, roundtables, or other types of sessions are also welcome. Submissions by graduate and undergraduate students are invited; undergraduates should provide the name, email, and phone number of a faculty member willing to consult with them (the faculty member does not need to attend). Proposals should be submitted online through the SCW7 website and will be reviewed by program chairs Stacey Abbott, Tanya R. Cochran, and Rhonda V. Wilcox.Submissions must be received byMonday, 4 January 2016. Decisions will be made by 1 March 2016. Questions regarding proposals can be directed to Rhonda V. Wilcox at the conference email address: slayage.conference@gmail.com

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