Thanks to Finn Upham we are very happy to be able to provide an audio recording of Louisa Stein‘s ‘Fandom/Resistance’ keynote which was delivered at the Fan Studies Network 2017 conference. Finn was kind enough to record the keynote so that we could share with those of you that could not attend, and those who were there but may wish to listen to it again. This talk resulted in a lot of emotion in the room, so we are very happy that more of you can experience this striking and wonderful keynote.
The Routledge Companion to Media and Tourism – 1st Call for Expressions of Interest for Book Chapter
We warmly invite you to submit your book chapter abstract for consideration for our book proposal for the Routledge Companion to book series. The aim of the “Routledge Companion to” book series is to define the current state of theory and research in a specialised field, in this case media and tourism, and create a foundation for future scholarship and study. Thus this companion will provide a comprehensive, must-have survey of the media and tourism-field, and also map out the emerging critical terrain.
Submission of expressions of interest: 31st of August 2017
Editors:
Dr. Maria Månsson, Lund University, Sweden
Dr. Lena Eskilsson, Lund University, Sweden
Dr. Anne Buchman, University of Newcastle, Australia
The relationship of media and tourism continues to attract popular and academic interest. Lund University (Sweden) recently organised the 7th International Tourism and Media (ITAM) conference, and this call for proposals sprung from this event. The aim of the conference was to move tourism and media knowledge forward by including a broad range of interests and backgrounds within the field of tourism and media research. Themes presented at this conference were from different disciplines and included, for example, popular culture (especially film) and tourism; travel writing; media and the making of different tourism spaces; destination marketing; media, tourists and representation; sport, media and tourism; processes of mediatization and tourism; social media and tourism; smartphones and tourism; tourism information material and tourists searches for information and the film industry and tourism.
However, while there has been a growing interest for the interrelationship between media and tourism from different disciplinary perspectives, these discussions are often published in different forums. The Routledge Companion to Media and Tourism consequentially aims at providing a comprehensive state of the art concerning media and tourism research from a multidisciplinary approach. The aim is to have 40-50 authors from around the globe and with a range of disciplines and various stages of academic career contributing to this companion. Any such contributions will need to survey a specific topic and critically discuss the leading views in the area. This includes discursive and reflective pieces and also discussions of original empirical work (cases).
Contributions are welcomed that address (but are not limited to) the following broad areas:
Popular culture, fans and tourists
The nexus between cultural heritage, media and tourism
Film-induced tourism
Media, tourism and spatial aspects
Digitalisation, social media and tourism
Smartphones and impact on tourism/tourists
Travel writing, guide books
Literary tourism
Representation, media and tourism
Destination marketing
Tourists and Tourist Photography
The impacts of popular culture on tourism organizations
Mediatization, convergence and popular culture
Media and tourist performances
Media use and consumption
Submission information
Abstracts of 300 – 400 words in the form of a word-processed email attachment should be sent to Maria Månsson, maria.mansson@ism.lu.se, by 31st of August. Please include the details below with the abstract:
Proposed chapter title
Author(s) and affiliation details
Type of contribution (e.g., philosophical, conceptual, methodological, case study)
Keywords (maximum of 5)
The approximate timeline, depending on the success of the proposal, is as follows:
Final submission deadline of abstract: 31st of August 2017
Notification of contribution: October 2017
Final submission deadline of full text (5000 words): January 2018
Target publication date: 2018
If you have any questions regarding this call for proposal don’t hesitate to get in touch.
Maria Månsson, Lund University, Sweden (maria.mansson@ism.lu.se)
Lena Eskilsson, Lund University, Sweden (lena.eskilsson@ism.lu.se)
Anne Buchmann, University of Newcastle, Australia (anne.buchmann@newcastle.edu.au
Following our previous call inviting chapter submissions for a new edited collection focusing on gender and horror, we have had such a large number of submissions that we are now aiming to publish three volumes. The first two will focus on films and on television but the third volume will cover other forms of media such as comics and graphic novels, fan literature, video games, and crossover media forms.
We would like to extend the call for papers in relation to the third volume only and will welcome 200 word abstracts plus a short personal bio. The deadline for this will be 19 July 2017.
Responses to this call should be sent to Professor Robert Shail r.shail@leedsbeckett.ac.uk.
The original cfp is below for your information.
This edited collection aims to re-examine horror in an era of remakes, reboots and re-imaginings. There have been many developments in the horror genre and whilst much of it has been reliant on previous material, there are also many shifts and changes such as
* cross-over of genres (for example, teen romance paired with vampires and werewolves, or horror in space);
* new formats such as Netflix, and cinema no longer being the only place we see horror;
* a resurgence of stories of hauntings and ghosts;
* and the popularity of ‘found footage’.
We wish to focus specifically on horror from 1995 to the present, as after a brief hiatus in the mainstream, the 1990s saw the return of horror to our screens – including our TV screens with, for example, Buffy The Vampire Slayer – and with horror and its characters more knowing than before.
We are happy for you to compare older material with newer versions, such as the recent Netflix version of The Exorcist (2016) with the original film The Exorcist (1973). The main requirement is that you interrogate whether the portrayal of gender has changed in horror – it may look like something different (more positive?) is happening, but is it?
We hope to encourage diverse perspectives and we welcome early career researchers and new voices to offer a different light on classic material, in sole- or multi-authored chapters.
We’d also like to gently remind potential authors that ‘gender’ doesn’t only apply to women, it applies to men and masculinities, and it encompasses non-binary identities and experiences, as well as issues about ‘race’, ethnicities and class.
The schedule is as follows:
* You send your chapter title, 200 word abstract and brief bio by the end of May 2017.
* The finalised proposal will be sent to the publisher Emerald in early summer.
* Your final first draft chapter (approx 7000 words) should be sent to us by January 31st2018 (reminder/s will be sent).
* We will return any comments/revisions by the end of March 2018,
* and ask that you send us the final revised chapter by the end of June 2018.
* The completed manuscript will be submitted in July 2018 for publication in early 2019.
Please send your chapter titles, 200 word abstracts and a brief bio to the book editors by the end of May.
If you have any queries, or would like to contribute but need to tweak the schedule, please email us.
Editors:
Dr Samantha Holland s.holland@leedsbeckett.ac.uk
Dr Steven Gerrard S.D.Gerrard@leedsbeckett.ac.uk
Prof Robert Shail R.Shail@leedsbeckett.ac.uk
If you are not familiar with the publisher, Emerald are an independent publisher, established by academics in 1967 and committed to retaining their independence.
And for your future reference: All hardback monograph publishing will be available in paperback after 24 months, and all books are available as ebooks. Emerald commission and cover the cost of indexing if authors don’t want to do it themselves; use professional designers for each individual book jacket; and aim to exceed the royalties of other publishers. They have international offices, but pride themselves on not being a ‘corporate machine’.
The Second Annual Ann Radcliffe Academic Conference at StokerCon 2018
Abstract Submission Deadline: November 27, 2017
The Second Annual Ann Radcliffe Academic Conference at StokerCon 2018
Conference Dates: March 1 – 4, 2018
Conference Hotel: Biltmore Hotel, Providence, Rhode Island
Conference Website: http://stokercon2018.org/
The Ann Radcliffe Academic Conference co-chairs invite all interested scholars and academics to submit presentation abstracts related to horror studies for consideration to be presented at the Third Annual StokerCon, March 1 – 4, 2018 held at the historic Biltmore Hotel in Providence, Rhode Island (see: http://www.providencebiltmore.com/ ).
The inaugural Ann Radcliffe Academic Conference in 2017 was a tremendous success and saw many presentations covering various aspects of horror studies. It is the goal with the second conference to continue the dialogue of academic analysis of horror. Hence we are looking for completed research or work-in-progress projects that can be presented to with the intent to expand the scholarship on various facets of horror that proliferates in:
• Art
• Cinema
• Comics
• Literature
• Music
• Poetry
• Television
• Video Games
• Etc.
We invite papers that take an interdisciplinary approach to their subject matter and can apply a variety of lenses and frameworks, such as, but not limited to:
• Auteur theory
• Close textual analysis
• Comparative analysis
• Cultural and ethnic
• Fandom and fan studies
• Film studies
• Folklore
• Gender/LGBT studies
• Historic analysis
• Interpretations
• Linguistic
• Literature studies
• Media and communications
• Media Sociology
• Modernity/Postmodernity
• Mythological
• Psychological
• Racial studies
• Semiotics
• Theoretical (Adorno, Barthes, Baudrillard, Dyer, Gerbner, etc.)
• Transmedia
Conference Details
• Please send a 250 – 300 word abstract on your intended topic, a preliminary bibliography and your CV to AnnRadCon@gmail.com by November 27, 2017. Responses will be emailed out during the last week of November/first week of December, 2017.
• Presentation time consideration: 15 minute maximum to allow for a Question and Answer period. Limit of one presentation at the conference.
• There are no honorariums for presenters; this is an academic conference. There is, however, a StokerCon2018 award opportunity; see http://horrorscholarships.com/the-scholarship-from-hell/
• The co-chairs of the Ann Radcliffe Academic Conference are exploring the possibilities of editing and publishing a volume of conference presentations (along with selections from the inaugural conference). Presenters will have the opportunity to edit and expand their presentations into proper chapters if they are selected for the volume.
Organizing Co-Chairs
Michele Brittany & Nicholas Diak
Email: AnnRadCon@gmail.com
The Ann Radcliffe Academic Conference is part of the Horror Writers Association’s Outreach Program. Membership to the Horror Writers Association is not required to submit or present, however registration to StokerCon 2018 is required to present. StokerCon registration can be obtained by going to http://www.stokercon2018.org. There is no additional registration or fees for the Ann Radcliffe Academic Conference outside StokerCon registration. If interested in applying to the Horror Writer’s Association as an academic member, please see http://www.horror.org/about/ .
StokerCon is the annual convention hosted by the Horror Writers Association wherein the Bram Stoker Awards for superior achievement in horror writing are awarded.
With the rise of Web 2.0, people brand themselves through social media as a singular person. The online visibility of their brand often takes precedence over social contributions. Their online presentation, however, is a reflection of how they want to be perceived in a collective setting. How does this kind of branding differ to a local business service or an international celebrity who also brands themselves online? What impact is persona branding having on society and the way people view themselves?
A focus on the persona of activists shows the particular impact of branding in society. An activist’s voice, like that of a political leader, is often heard if they have a strong brand. Yet, the perception is often specific to their national contexts. How are socialist actions in North Korea viewed in the Western world? How does having a female political leader change the perception of a country? How are immigrants seen around the world? What role does media play in creating theseconstructed views in national and transnational contexts?
We encourage scholars and industry practitioners to question, explore, and problematize the notion of national identity in persona, branding, and activism. We ask:how is a country reflected through its celebrities, popular history, stereotypes and myths? Often one individual can have global fame, which can result in branding a nation or city and develop a country’s cause as well. Their persona becomes the basis of how a place is perceived internationally. For example, American born icon Elvis Presley is used to represent Las Vegas and Memphis, while George Clooney has attached himself to Darfur through his activism. Similarly, Steve Irwin became a symbol of Australian culture through his philanthropy and his fame as “The Crocodile Hunter.” A decade since his death people still create the association between him and the nation’s identity, while overlooking how race, gender and class affect one’s overall brand identity.Myths surrounding national identity are also evident in beauty pageants and the Olympics. How do these stereotypes affect our understanding of culture?
The Centre for Media and Celebrity Studies (CMCS) Bridging Gaps conference, in association with sponsors Centre for Ecological, Social, and Informatics Cognitive Research (ESI.CORE) and WaterHill Publishing, invites papers and films that explore the relationship among four key themes – persona, branding, activism, and national identity. We invite academics, filmmakers, journalists, publicists, designers, advertisers, marketing specialists, charity organizers, and guests to explore and connect themes from a range of interdisciplinary fields and generate a valuable discussion and practice that will inspire change.
Attendees may present papers, take part in a workshop or create a roundtable discussion on the themes of persona, branding, activism and national identity. We recommend roundtables on Heath Ledger but open to discussions on other stars in national contexts of Australia and abroad.
Extended versions of selected papers will be published in an edited book by WaterHill Publishing, while others will be invited for the opportunity to publish work in the CrossBridge journal.
We also invite people to send in videos for the Celebrity Chat Award. The idea forCelebrity Chat was born in Melbourne and the first recording took place in Perth. We are proud to be bringing it back home. The best video/documentary will be selected based on its ability to draw attention to a significant matter, be relevant to the conference theme and/or inspire change.
Registration includes: Your printed conference package, catered lunch, coffee / tea breaks, evening drinks, professional development workshop, access to evening receptions, eligibility to publish in edited book, and consideration for the $100 best paper and screen awards.
Submission guidelines:
250-word abstract or workshop / roundtable proposal
Include a title, your name, e-mail address, and affiliation if applicable
Submit to conference Chairs Dr Jackie Raphael and Dr Celia Lam at email address: celeb.studies@gmail.com
Deadline for abstract submission:July 28, 2017
Notification of acceptance: August 25, 2017
Full text due: November 1, 2017
Pre-Conference reception: December 8, 2017
Conference presentations:December 9-10, 2017
Publication of edited book: 2018
Celebrity Chat Video Submissions:
Video length should be 10-20 minutes
Include a title, your name, e-mail address, and affiliation if applicable
Submit to conference Chairs Dr Jackie Raphael and Dr Celia Lam at email address: celeb.studies@gmail.com
Deadline for submission: August 1, 2017
Notification of acceptance: September 15, 201
Conference screening: December 9-10, 2017
Topics include but are not limited to:
National Identity and Persona
Activism and Philanthropy
Fandom and Audiences
Endorsements and Advertising
Branding and Graphic Design
Tourism and Promotion
Politics and Leadership
Persona and Online Presence
Mass Media and Social Media
Public Relations and Publicity
Journalism and Newsworthy Topics
Fame and Fortune
Gender and Power
Icons and Status
Beauty Ideals, Pageants and Culture
Models as Role Models
Olympics and Representing Nations
Sporting Identities
Literature and Photography
Film and Television
Laws and Policies
Theory and Methods
Research Agenda and Business Models
Ethics and Morality
Cognition and Memory
Social Innovation and Change
Education and Advocacy
Community Building and Community Partnerships
Conference Chairs: Dr Jackie Raphael and Dr Celia Lam Conference Committee: Dr Kirsty Fairclough, Dr Bertha Chin and Bethan Jones and Conference URL: http://cmc-centre.com/conferences/2017perth/
London South Bank University
Theme: Creativity and Agency
Deadline for proposals: Monday 18 September 2017
We are pleased to invite you to submit abstracts, panel proposals and posters for the next Annual MeCCSA Conference, to be held on 10—12 January 2018 at the School of Arts and Creative Industries, London South Bank University.
The conference is the annual presentation of the best work across the whole range of MeCCSA interests, and is also an opportunity to hear about and discuss important topics in both media and HE policy relevant to MeCCSA members.
We welcome scholarly papers, panels, practice contributions, film screenings, and posters across the full range of interests represented by MeCCSA and its networks, including, but not limited to:
• Cultural and media policy
• Film and television studies and practice
• Radio studies and practice
• Representation, identity, ideology
• Social movements
• Digital games studies
• Women’s media studies
• Disability studies within media studies
• Approaches to media pedagogy
• Children, young people and media
• Diasporic and ethnic minority media
• Political communication
• Methodological approaches
• Media practice research and teaching
The theme of the MeCCSA 2018 conference is Creativity and Agency. ‘Creativity’ is a concept that is, at least implicitly, central to many courses in our subject area, which often entail analysis of ‘creative industries’ and include elements of ‘creative
practice’ as part of the curriculum. Yet it remains a highly contested concept, from the official promotion of the ‘creative economy’ through to more recent debates about the commodification of everyday ‘creative labour’ via social media. How has the concept
developed in the twenty-first century? How should we interpret today’s creative landscape?
Confirmed keynote speakers:
• Professor David Gauntlett (University of Westminster)
• Professor Angela McRobbie (Goldsmiths, University of London)
• Professor Andy Miah (University of Salford)
We invite proposals for papers, practice contributions, themed panels and other presentations which engage with the various artistic, organisational, social, political, economic, individual, collective and technological dimensions of creativity and agency.
Potential topics could include, but are not limited to:
• art and activism
• creativity and cultural policy
• everyday creativity
• public service media as a creative agent
• technology and creativity
• creative entrepreneurship and cultural industries
• individual and collective conceptions of creativity
• non-fiction and creativity
• creativity and pedagogy
• creative labour and social media
• creativity and practice research
Deadline for proposals: Monday 18 September
Individual abstracts should be up to 250 words. Panel proposals should include a short description and rationale (200 words) together with abstracts for each of the 3-4 papers (150-200 words each including details of the contributor), and the name and contact
details of the panel proposer. The panel proposer should co-ordinate the submissions for that panel as a single proposal.
Practice-based work
We actively support the presentation of practice-as-research and have a flexible approach to practice papers and presentations. This may include opportunities to present papers and screenings in the same sessions or as part of a separate screening strand.
We also welcome shorter papers in association with short screenings/sharing. We have dedicated presentation spaces to display practice artefacts including screenings and computer-based work. For displaying practice work, please include specific technical data
(e.g. duration, format) and a URL pointing to any support material when submitting your abstract.
There is just one week to the deadline for abstracts. We have received some wonderful abstracts, but there is still time to submit! Deadline is 30th June.
The Melodrama Research Group presents: At home with horror? Terror on the small screen
Keynote speaker: Dr Helen Wheatley (University of Warwick)
CALL FOR PAPERS
The recent horror output on TV and the small screen challenges what Matt Hills found to be the overriding assumption ‘that film is the [horror] genre’s ‘natural’ home’ (Hills 2005, 111). Programmes such as American Horror Story, Penny Dreadful and The Walking Dead are aligned to ‘‘quality TV’, yet use horror imagery and ideas to present a form and style of television that is ‘not ordinary’’ (Johnston 2016, 11). Developments in industrial practices and production technology have resulted in a more spectacular horror in the medium, which Hills argues is the ‘making cinematic’ of television drama (Hills 2010, 23). The generic hybridity of television programmes such as Whitechapel, and Ripper Street allow conventions of the horror genre to be employed within the narrative and aesthetics, creating new possibilities for the animation of horror on the small screen. Series such as Bates Motel and Scream adapt cinematic horror to a serial format, positioning the small screen (including terrestrial, satellite and online formats) as the new home for horror.
The history of television and horror has often displayed a problematic relationship. As a medium that operates within a domestic setting, television has previously been viewed as incompatible with ‘authentic’ horror. Television has been approached as incapable of mobilizing the intense audience reactions associated with the genre and seen as a medium ‘restricted’ in its ability to scare and horrify audiences partly due to censorship constraints (Waller 1987) and scheduling arrangements. Such industrial practices have been seen as tempering the genre’s aesthetic agency resulting in inferior cinematic imitations or, ‘degraded made-for-TV sequels’ (Waller 1987, 146). For Waller, the technology of television compounded the medium’s ability to animate horror and directed its initial move towards a more ‘restrained’ form of the genre such as adapting literary ghost stories and screening RKO productions of the 1940s (Ibid 1987). Inferior quality of colour and resolution provided the opportunity to suggest rather than show. Horror, then, has presented a challenge for television: how can the genre be positioned in such a family orientated and domesticated medium? As Hills explains, ‘In such a context, horror is conceptualised as a genre that calls for non- prime-time scheduling… and [thus] automatically excluded from attracting a mass audience despite the popularity of the genre in other media’ (Hills 2005, 118).
Helen Wheatley’s monograph, Gothic Television (2006), challenges the approach of television as a limiting medium for horror, and instead focuses on how the domestic setting of the television set is key to its effectiveness. Focusing on the female Gothic as a domestic genre, Wheatley draws a lineage from early literary works, to the 1940s cycle of Gothic women films and Gothic television of the 1950s onwards. Wheatley argues for the significance of the domestic setting in experiencing stories of domestic anxiety for, ‘the aims of the Gothic drama made for television [are] to suggest a congruence between the domestic spaces on the screen and the domestic reception context’ (Wheatley 2006, 191).
Developments in small screen horror are not restricted to contemporary output. In his work on the cultural history of horror, Mark Jancovich argues that it was on television in the 1990s where key developments in the genre were taking place (Jancovich 2002). Taking Jancovich’s work as a cue, Hills develops his own approach to the significance of horror television of the 1990s. Hills cites Buffy the Vampire Slayer and The X Files as examples of programmes striving to mobilise the genre’s more graphic elements while existing as a ‘high-end’ cultural product: ‘authored’ TV that targeted a niche fan audience (Hills 2005, 126).
Taking these recent developments into account, the aim of this conference is to engage with such advances. Can we say that it is on the small screen where critical and creative innovations in horror are now being made? How has the expansion of satellite television and online sites impacted the genre? How has the small screen format developed the possibilities of horror? Is the recent alignment with ‘quality TV’ evidence of horror’s new mainstream status? This conference will also reflect on seminal works on television horror and revisit the history of the genre. In addressing these questions the conference will underline the importance of the small screen for horror, within the study of the genre and of the medium, and ask: is the small screen now the home of horror?
Topics can include but are not limited to:
* The seasons and horror on the small screen
* Gothic television
* Gender and horror
* Historical figures and events in small screen horror
* Small screen horror as an ‘event’
* Adaptation from cinema to small screen ‘re-imaginings’
* Production contexts
* Censorship and the small screen
* Serialisation and horror production
* National television production of horror
* The impact of Netflix and Amazon Prime
* TV history and horror
* Literary adaptations
* Children’s TV and horror
* Genre hybridity
* Fandom
* Teen horror
* Stardom and horror
Please submit proposals of 400 words, along with a short biographical note (250 words) to horrorishome@gmail.com<mailto:horrorishome@gmail.com> by Friday 30th June. We welcome 20 minute conference papers as well as submissions for creative work or practice-as-research including, but not limited to, short films and video essays.
Conference organisers: Katerina Flint-Nicol and Ann-Marie Fleming
Football, Politics and Popular Culture: 2017 Annual Conference of The Football Collective.
Hosted by the Popular Music and Popular Culture Research Cluster, University of Limerick.
‘The Football Collective’ is a dedicated International network of over 200 academics and practitioners across a range of disciplines (Sociology, Musicology, Business Management, Economics and Finance, Political Science, Gender Studies, History, Social Media and Fan Studies, Corporate Governance etc.). Through sharp analysis and research it has provided a platform for thought provoking critical debate in football studies.
Football has always been political. For example, on 13th May 1990, just weeks after parties favouring Croatian independence had won the majority of votes in an election, a riot between the fans of Dinamo Zagreb and Red Star Belgrade marked a game in the Maksimir Stadium. Zvonimir Boban, the Zagreb captain and future AC Milan star kicked a police officer who had allegedly been mistreating Croatian fans. Some argue that this moment marked the end of Yugoslavia, with a devastating Civil War following soon afterwards and many of the protagonists on that day swapping the terraces for the front lines.
The bodies of clubs, players and fans are enmeshed with politics. Clubs have been born as a result of population upheavals and migration; have been associated with ethno-national and religious communities, and political ideologies and parties to name but a few. In the contemporary context, football continues to be tied to political events and symbols. The ongoing movement of people into Europe has witnessed voices raised by football supporters both in support of and opposition to migration. Racism and anti-racism practices play out on and off the pitch. Broader contemporary international political controversies such as the prohibition of the flag of the Palestinian State, the wearing of symbols such as the British poppy or the commemoration of Irish Independence continue to spark controversy among player and fan communities alike.
Football also manifests at times in artefacts of music and broader popular culture. Football chants for example are a sophisticated socio-political activity, which connect to early forms of communication where humans used music, chant, and dance to bond as social groups. ‘Performance’ also has a unique ability to make difference visible and audible, and songs in particular have been shown to have powerful agency in the negotiation of ‘Self’ and ‘Other’.
We invite you to join us at the University of Limerick, on Thursday and Friday 23rd – 24th November 2017 for the Annual Conference of The Football Collective which is organized in association with the Popular Music and Popular Culture Research Cluster @UL. “Football, Politics and Popular Culture” will bring together interdisciplinary football researchers, academics and students to share research findings, interests, stories, and methods, in order to develop better research and collaboration across the Collective. We will also host guests from outside of the academy. In this conference, we therefore particularly welcome papers that address (but are not limited to) football and the following:
· Fan culture
· Political songs and chants
· Migration
· Racism
· Islamophobia/anti-Muslim racism
· Ethno-national formation
· Conflict
· Sectarianism
· Identities
· Class politics
· Gender and Sexualities
· Its representation in popular culture (including film and literature)
The conference is designed to offer opportunities for all to present research, research ideas, potential projects, and innovative methods of data collection or public engagement. Thus it aims to discuss research that (a) has been undertaken, to share findings and gain insight and feedback on data analysis, representation, and potential outputs (b) is being proposed as a potential option for the Collective group to understand an existing issue or (c) has been published, to share findings and discuss future research needs. Please submit a Word document containing your paper title, a 250 word abstract, and author information including full name, institutional affiliation, email address, and a 50-word bio to footballconference2017@ul.ie by 6th September 2017. A maximum of 20 minutes will be allocated to each conference paper. Panel proposals (three presenters – 60 minutes) should include a 150 word overview and 250 word individual abstracts (plus author information listed above). We also welcome proposals for workshops, film screenings, performances etc. We particularly encourage submissions from PhD scholars and early career researchers. Notifications regarding acceptance will be sent by 15th September 2017.
Conference Conveners:
Dr. James Carr, Dept. of Sociology, University of Limerick.
Dr. Martin Power, Dept. of Sociology, University of Limerick.
Dr. Stephen Millar, Popular Music & Popular Culture Research Cluster, University of Limerick.
GAMES & CULTURE SPECIAL ISSUE: CASUAL GAMES AND GAMING
Editors:
Shira Chess, University of Georgia (schess@uga.edu)
Christopher A. Paul, Seattle University (paulc@seattleu.edu)
As the video game medium continues to shift, the casual games market has grown increasingly robust. In “casual” we are referring to games meant to be played in short bursts of time, are inexpensive or free, require minimal expertise on the part of the player, and are typically played on mobile devices and computers. The texts, genres, audiences, and industries of these games has grown exponentially in the past decade.
Given these shifts in platform and style, this special issue seeks to push at research within the casual games market. Juul’s foundational work A Casual Revolution: Reinventing Video Games and Their Players (2010) helped establish much of the groundwork in this area. Further research continues to suggest the need to use a variety of methodological approaches to capture the often-ephemeral nature of the casual games market and its players (Leaver & Willson, 2015). Possible areas of investigation could include (but are not limited to):
• Historicizing the term “casual”
• Analysis of the casual/hardcore breakdown
• Methodological approaches to casual games
• Analysis of specific casual genres (Time Management, Hidden Object, Invest/Express, Puzzle, etc.)
• Audience studies on casual games
• Industry and studies in casual
• Formal/textual analysis of specific casual games
• Research on mobile games
We are looking for new voices and innovative research that push the boundaries of casual. We are happy to give some basic feedback on abstracts pre-submission.
Deadline & Submission Information
Essays are due by October 10, 2017.
Final essays should be 6000 words or less, including references and should use APA style (5th edition). Submissions should be posted to Manuscript Central portal, at http://mc.manuscriptcentral.com/games. When submitting, please be sure to submit as a “special issue for casual games.”
If you have questions, please contact us at schess@uga.edu or paulc@seattleu.edu
This blog will feature posts such as CFPs or announcements that scholars may find of interest. If there is anything you think we should feature, please get in touch!
If you are interested in joining the network, please sign up to our discussion list at http://jiscmail.ac.uk/fanstudies. We hope it will be a fruitful forum, proving useful in terms of making contacts, asking for advice, and sharing ideas.
CONTACT US
To contact the FSN, please email fsnconference@gmail.com
The Fan Studies Network 