CFP Lovecraftian Poe (11/15/13)

Here's another expired CFP. I just learned about the project at MAPACA earlier this month. Details from cfp.english.upenn.edu:

By web submission at 09/03/2013 - 16:22

The Lovecraftian Poe: Essays on influence, reception, interpretation and transformation - abstracts due by Nov 15, 2013
full name / name of organization:
Sean Moreland, Ph.D.
contact email:
moreland.sean@gmail.com

The editor invites original scholarly essays that address the reception and transformation of Edgar Allan Poe's thought and writing by H. P. Lovecraft.

That Poe was among the greatest influences on Lovecraft is widely known; Lovecraft famously referred to Poe as both his "model" and his "God of Fiction." Yet, despite widespread recognition of this fact amongst scholars and fans of both Poe and Lovecraft's work, there has surprisingly so far been no collection that brings together scholarly approaches to this topic. This collection aims to address this absence, gathering original essays that focus closely on the precise nature and extent of Poe's influence on Lovecraft, Lovecraft's role in Poe's wider reception and dissemination, and his adoption and adaptation of many of Poe's concepts and techniques.

Topics might include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Specific considerations of the way Lovecraft's fictions make use of and modify Poe's (for example, the reworking of “The Fall of the House of Usher” in “The Rats in the Walls,” or “M. Valdemar” in “Cool Air”).
• The influence of Poe's philosophical and critical writings on Lovecraft's thought (for example, the cosmicism of Poe's Eureka and Lovecraft's “cosmic indifferentism,” or Lovecraft’s conception of Poe’s “Unity of Effect”).
• Lovecraft's critical assessment of Poe (in Supernatural Horror in Literature and elsewhere).
• The development of Gothic and science-fictional conventions in Poe and Lovecraft’s fictions.
• Philosophical, historical and aesthetic differences and continuities between Poe's and Lovecraft's writings.
• The interdependence of Poe and Lovecraft's literary and popular legacies.
• The ways in which Lovecraft's reception of Poe has influenced Poe's reception by later writers (examples might include Borges, Bradbury, Matheson, King, Ligotti or Kiernan.)
• The continuing importance of Lovecraft's contributions to Poe scholarship and appreciation.

The volume will include an introductory chapter by influential Lovecraft scholar S. T. Joshi.

Abstracts of 400 - 500 words on any aspect of this topic are invited, with a deadline of Nov 15, 2013. Finished essays will be due by May 2014. Abstracts may be directed to: moreland.sean@gmail.com

About the editor:

Sean Moreland is a professor, editor, and writer of poetry and short fiction. He has a Ph.D. in English from the University of Ottawa, where he currently teaches part-time. He recently co-edited the essay collection Fear and Learning: Essays on the Pedagogy of Horror (McFarland, 2013), is currently co-editing Holy Terrors: Essays on Monstrous Children in Cinema, and has recently published chapters in a number of books, including Deciphering Poe and Generation Zombie. He is on the editorial board for the Edgar Allan Poe Review, and is founder and a fiction editor of Postscripts to Darkness (PstD), a serial anthology of dark fiction and art.

CFP Poe Studies Association (1/15/13)

Another call courtesy the American Literature Association (pdf at http://www.calstatela.edu/academic/english/ala2/2014%20Poe%20CFP.pdf). 

American Literature Association
25th Annual Conference
May 22 – 25, 2014
Washington DC
CALL FOR PAPERS
Poe Studies Association

1. “Lyrical Eruptions in Poe’s Prose: ‘The Haunted Palace’ 175 years later”

On several occasions Poe inserted a previously published lyric into a new story, perhaps to
assure that his poems reached a wider audience. By way of exploring this mode of recycling
and re-inscription, and to honor its 175th anniversary, this session will take as its focus “The
Haunted Palace,” first published in April 1839 and then given a renewed literary life in The Fall
of the House of Usher (September 1839). The context in which it appears may well provide
deeper insight into the character of our narrator (who self-consciously comments on why he is
able to recite it from memory); and also, by virtue of “the under or mystic current of its meaning,”
into the mind of Roderick Usher. Papers are invited that consider the relation of the poem to the
story; and whether (and to what extent) “The Haunted Palace” is a mirror in miniature,
emblematically refracting the world of the story from within while at the same time projecting a
self-contained if melancholy world of fragile beauty. Close readings and critical interpretations of
the poem are welcome; as are papers that look at the broader issue of lyrical eruptions in Poe,
which might also consider the place of “The Conqueror Worm” (1843) in Ligeia (1845). Do such
lyric eruptions betoken some larger aesthetic plan or purpose? Other topics involving “The
Haunted Palace” as it relates to Poe’s oeuvre also are welcome. To submit a proposal, send a
title and an abstract of no more than 350 words to: William Engel (wengel@sewanee.edu); in
the subject line, put “PSA panel 2014.” Deadline for submissions is January 15, 2014 (panelists
will be notified shortly thereafter).

2. “Teaching Poe’s Poetry”

For Emerson, Poe the poet was a “jingle man,” a writer of lachrymose lyrics, but
Baudelaire and the Symbolists venerated Poe, whom they considered a model of poetic
excellence. Eliciting divergent responses during the nineteenth century, Poe’s verse
continues to frustrate and to intrigue readers in our time. Such divergences present
opportunities for teachers, who can choose from a wide range of approaches as they
introduce the poetry of Poe to students. For this panel, which will feature papers about
pedagogical matters, the Poe Studies Association solicits proposals. Possible topics
include Poe and the lyric in nineteenth-century America; Poe’s poems as primary texts
for theory classes; Poe as a poet in and/or against the Romantic grain; madness as
discursive formation in Poe’s poems of grief; visions of apocalypse in the poetry of Poe
and his contemporaries; Poe and prosody; othering in the poems of Poe; and Poe’s poetry
in the world of antebellum print culture. Other topics are, of course, welcome.
To submit a proposal, send a title and an abstract of no more than 350 words to Travis
Montgomery at tdmontgomery2@fhsu.edu. The subject line should read “PSA panel
2014.” The deadline for submissions is January 15, 2014.

CFP Panel on Where the Wild Things Are (1/15/14)

A head's up courtesy the American Literature Association (click for pdf).

CALL FOR PAPERS
Children’s Literature Society
American Literature Association
25th Annual Conference
May 22-25, 2014
Hyatt Regency Washington on Capitol Hill
400 New Jersey Avenue N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20001

Panel #2: The Wild Things. Where Are They Now?

Fifty years after the publication of the iconic picture book Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak, the public imagination is still captivated by Max's story of adventure, mischief, power, journey, fantasy, repression, surrealism, and illusion in place and time. The expansion of Sendak's imagination for this title has led to a feature length film and to a popular culture phenomenon based on the impact of his work on readers. Likewise literary criticism in children's literature has continued to explore the importance of this work and its reverberations through the genre of children's literature. In this panel, we invite scholars to broadly explore Where the Wild Things Are expanding their approaches to this text or related texts (e.g., Jon Klassen's This is Not My Hat) considering the fifty years of research, literary, art and philosophical thought since its publication.

Please include academic rank and affiliation and AV requests
Please send abstracts or proposals by Wednesday, January 15, 2014 to Dorothy Clark (Dorothy.g.clark@csun.edu), Linda Salem (salem.sdsu@gmail.com)

Conference details may be found at the American Literature Association web
site: www.americanliterature.org

Academics and the Zombie Apocalypse CFP (11/16/13)

A bit of an odd call for papers, but there are further details online at http://www.apsu.edu/news/apsu-professors-publish-scholarly-book-zombies. 

Essays needed on Academics and the Zombie Apocalypse for book under contract with McFarland

Location:	United States
Publication Date:	2013-11-16
Date Submitted:	2013-10-06
Announcement ID:	207294

We are seeking authors for a variety of essays that examine the zombie apocalypse from an academic perspective. All essays will be written by individuals with the appropriate academic credentials in the fields listed below. Each essay will be approximately 5,500-6,000 words, inclusive of endnotes. The essays will conform to the Chicago Manual of Style. Interested authors should send a c.v. to both Dr. Amy Thompson, Ph.D. (thompsona@apsu.edu) and Dr. Antonio Thompson, Ph.D. (thompsonas@apsu.edu). Please reference the anthology in the subject line. Those selected will sign a contributor’s agreement conferring ownership of the essay to the editors and will receive one copy of the completed work. The essays should be received by November 18. This book is currently under contract with McFarland and Company, Publishers (www.mcfarlandbooks.com). Please let us know if you have any questions. Below are the areas of need. Each area should be written from the perspective of how this academic discipline or area will be affected by or enable effective coping mechanisms during or after the zombie apocalypse or other major disaster or apocalyptic event. The essays should be rooted in academic rigor and should rely on real life examples, but also be able to tie in the fictional zombie apocalypse and the vast literature and material on that subject. Military Science Criminal Justice Personal Security and Health Financial and Business Agricultural and Farming Sexuality and Gender Norms Education Entomology Geology

Dr. Amy Thompson, Ph.D. Associate Professor, Austin Peay State University(thompsona@apsu.edu) and Dr. Antonio Thompson, Ph.D. Associate Professor, Austin Peay State University (thompsonas@apsu.edu). Email: thompsona@apsu.edu; thompsonas@apsu.edu

Zombies for SWPACA (11/15/13)

A day late, but this looks like it should be a great set of panels:

CFP-Zombie Culture-Film, literature, comics, video games, television etc., Southwest Popular culture Association 2014

Location:	New Mexico, United States
Call for Papers Date:	2013-11-15 (Archive)
Date Submitted:	2013-09-12
Announcement ID:	206580

Call for papers: Southwest Popular / American Culture Association - Zombie Culture
Make plans to join the Southwest PCA/ACA for our 35th annual conference, February 19-22,
2014, at the Hyatt Regency Hotel and Conference Center in beautiful Albuquerque, New Mexico
Hyatt Regency Albuquerque
330 Tijeras NW
Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA 87102
Tel: +1 505 842 1234 or 888-421-1442

The conference theme this year is: Popular and American Culture Studies: Yesterday, Today &Tomorrow The area chair for Zombie Culture seeks papers and presentations on any aspect of the zombie in popular culture and history. It seems as though the world has gone “zombie crazy.” There are zombie walks, games on college campuses like “Humans Vs. Zombies,” zombie children’s books, zombie poetry, fiction, video games, zombie ammunition and guns, and zombie running contests. Almost anything can be “zombified” and society and fans all over the world are literally “eat it up.” The zombie has come to represent the chaotic world we live in, and courses continue to pop up on college and university campus all over the world. This is due in large part to the success of films like Night of the Living Dead, Zombie Flesh Eaters (Zombi 2), Dawn of the Dead, 28 Days Later, Shaun of the Dead, and most recently Warm Bodies, World War Z and the television program The Walking Dead.

Any aspect of Zombie Culture will be given consideration. However, in keeping with the theme of the conference SPECIAL ATTENTION will be paid to those proposals which discuss the distinctive American aspects of the zombie in film, literature, and popular culture in general.
How does the zombie influence American Culture in a way that resonates in our transmedia world?

Some topics to consider:

• Directors: George Romero, Lucio Fulci, Umberto Lenzi, Todd Sheets, Danny Boyle, Sam Rami, Peter Jackson, Amando de Ossorio…
• Specific zombie films: White Zombie, King of the Zombies, Dawn of the Dead, Tombs of the Blind Dead, Dead Alive, Evil Dead, Zombies on Broadway, World War Z…..
• Specific books/zombie literature: Zombie Bake Off, World War Z, Book of All Flesh, Case of Charles Dexter Ward…
• Zombie writers’ fiction and non-fiction: Stephen Graham Jones, H.P. Lovecraft, Robert Kirkman, Steve Niles, Max Brooks, Matt Mogk, Jovanka Vuckovic.
• Stephen King…..
• The Walking Dead
• Zombie comics (any aspect: history, cultural impact, storytelling…) Zombies since 9/11
• Zombie children’s books
• Zombie running
• Fast vs. slow zombies
• Zombie gore
• Teaching the zombie (zombie pedagogy)
• Zombie cos-play
• Zombie brains-food
• Zombie video games
• Zombie ants
• Can a real zombie outbreak happen?
• The voodoo zombie-the historical roots of the zombie
• The Euro-zombie
• Nazi–zombies
• Viking zombies
• Marvel zombies
• What exactly is a zombie?
• Humans vs. zombies
• Zombies across the world (Ro-langs…)
• Zombies’ roots in cinema
• Are mummies/Frankenstein’s monster zombies?
• What does the rise in the zombie’s popularity tell us about society?

These are just a few of the topics that could be discussed.

Please submit your title, and 100- to 250-word abstract by November 1, 2013, through our database, which can be accessed at:
http://conference2014.southwestpca.org/

A video tutorial for submissions is available at:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fSITP_57txc
Please note there are monetary awards for the best graduate student papers in a variety of categories.

See http://southwestpca.org/conference/graduate-student-awards

The organization also has a new open access peer reviewed journal that encourages you to submit your work.

See: Dialogue: The Interdisciplinary Journal of Popular Culture and Pedagogy
http://journaldialogue.org/

35th Annual Conference Southwest Popular/American Culture Association February 19-22 2014at the Hyatt Regency Hotel & Conference Center in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
Submission Deadline: 11/1/13
Priority Registration Deadline 12/31/13
Conference Hotel:
Hyatt Regency Albuquerque
330 Tijeras NW,
Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA 87102
Tel: +1 505 842 1234 or 888-421-1442

Rob Weiner
Humanities Librarian, Texas Tech University Library
rweiner5@sbcglobal.net
http://southwestpca.org

CFP Vampires and Humor Collection (10/15/13)

Missed one:

Vampires and Humor
Abstract due October 15th, 2013

full name / name of organization: 

McFarland Publishing

contact email: 

gilpin_vicky@hotmail.com

Call for Papers: Vampires and Humor (or Humor in Vampire Literature, Movies, and Music)
Abstracts due: October 15th to Gilpin_vicky@hotmail.com

The work features a collection of previously-unpublished essays about vampires in humor and/or humor in subcategories of vampire works.

Vampires and humor can be an interesting topic because the author can break down his or her analysis based on a variety of parameters. What is so special about vampires and humor? What does humor try to accomplish in vampire works, or what do vampires accomplish in comedic ones? How does humor negate, transcend, or influence vampiric symbolism and/or the many tropes of vampire works (literature in particular)? Why are so many YA, urban fantasy, and paranormal romance works centered around vampires funny or attempting to be so? Why are vampires in modern literature, film, commercials, television shows, comic strips, graphic novels, songs, and internet videos funny/humorous/comedic? What is the relationship between vampires and humor in modern entertainment?

This selection of essays from McFarland will include previously unpublished papers exploring humor in vampire works, such as movies, literature, commercials, or music. Many avenues exist for perusal of vampires and humor, such as what makes vampire comedy/humor a flop or a success, how does humor in vampire works conform to or revolutionize specific theories of humor, intentional versus unintentional humor, as well as the possible goals of humor within particular subgenres of vampire works. A focus on 20th/21st century works is preferred, though older works may be referenced to provide context, and essays emphasizing older works will still be considered. A purpose of the book is to provide a broad representation of humor in a variety of vampire works through multiple methods of analysis.

Humor in vampire works or vampires in comedic works can be broad topics, so focusing on subcategories of the following broad topics might be beneficial, with special attention to the reason for selecting particular works:

• Humor in selected vampire movies
• Humor in songs about vampires
• Humor and vampires on YouTube
• Humor in YA novels featuring vampires
• Humor in vampire works not promoted as comedy (for example, paranormal romance or urban fantasy)
• Vampire comic books or graphic novels
• Humor, vampires, and gender, race, religion, socio-economics, capitalism, sexuality, etc.
• A particular theory of humor, comedy, or wit and how vampire works reject or transcend it

----------------------------------------------------
This is the current timeline:
Abstracts/Proposals (350-500 words) and a brief biography (100-150 words): October 15th, 2013
Notification of essay selection status: November 1st, 2013
Rough Papers in MLA format: February 15th, 2014
Final Papers in MLA format (6,000-8,000 words) and all forms: April 15th, 2014
----------------------------------------------------

To keep in mind:
The publisher, McFarland, notes about fair use and direct quotations: “Our general interpretation of fair use guideline for quotation is that (when dealing with a work first published in 1923 or after) you may quote up to 800 words total from a book, about 400 from a play, about 100 from a short story or essay, roughly 75 words from a substantial article, and about 50 words from a short article (up to about 1000 words from any one year of a daily newspaper) unless you have permission from the publisher to quote more.”

Please send your abstract via email by October 15th
Dr. Vicky Gilpin
Millikin University
Gilpin_vicky@hotmail.com
Please include Vampires and Humor in the subject line.

Supernatural Studies open CFP (10/1/13)

Final post for the night:

[Update] Supernatural Studies Fall/Winter General Issue

full name / name of organization: 

Supernatural Studies Association

contact email: 

supernaturalstudies@gmail.com

Supernatural Studies (ISSN 2325-4866), a peer-reviewed journal, calls for submissions for the Fall/Winter 2013 issue; submissions are due October 1. We welcome articles on any aspect of the representation of the supernatural. Email all submissions to the journal editors: supernaturalstudies@gmail.com. Please note that this call is for general submissions; there are also special issue CFPs available.

The journal focuses on representations of the supernatural in popular culture, including (but not limited to) art, literature, film, and television. We welcome any approach, but request that authors minimize jargon associated with any single-discipline studies.

Articles of between 3,000 and 6,000 words in length (including references) are invited, and should use the MLA referencing system. Book reviews should be between 800 and 2,000 words. Further information, including Submission Guidelines, are available at the journal site: supernaturalstudies.org.

The journal publishes themed issues and prospective guest editors are invited to contact the editorial staff with a proposal. Prospective book reviewers should also approach the editors directly: supernaturalstudies@gmail.com.

For more information, see http://www.supernaturalstudies.org.

CFP Revenant Inagural Issue

'Revenant: Critical and Creative Studies of the Supernatural' (http://www.revenantjournal.com/)

Revenant is a peer reviewed e-journal dedicated to the study of the supernatural, the uncanny and the weird in any form and in any period. Committed to the scholarly, academic and creative exploration of the supernatural in its multiple, variable and fantastic forms this inter-disciplinary journal encourages discussion about the supernatural or the weird in literature, history, folklore, philosophy, science, religion, sociology and all aspects of popular culture. All areas of discussion are welcome and we invite for example discussions of classic Victorian ghost stories, articles about Shakespeare’s ghosts, standing stones, architecture, film, television, games or new media.

Revenant promotes new writing on the supernatural, the uncanny and the weird and we are looking to publish ghost stories, tales of the extraordinary, poems and nature writing. Encouraging a cross-theoretical approach the super-natural may also be explored in relation to gender, sexuality, spirituality, post-colonialism, Marxism or eco-criticism.


Call for submissions

For its inaugural issue Revenant is calling for academic articles and new creative writing on the subject of the supernatural. This inter-disciplinary journal includes and welcomes discussion on the Supernatural, the Uncanny and the Weird from all disciplines. The journal is seeking to publish a mixture of academic articles covering any aspect of the super-natural from any period and new creative writing.

Topics might include: discussions of classic Victorian ghost stories, articles about Shakespeare’s ghosts, science fiction, standing stones, science and the supernatural, architecture, film, television, games or new media. Encouraging a cross-theoretical approach the supernatural may also be explored in relation to gender, sexuality, spirituality, post-colonialism, Marxism or eco-criticism. Creative writing can take the form of new ghost stories, tales of the fantastic, poems or nature writing. Revenant also welcomes reviews of books, plays, television programmes, films, events or conferences.

Articles should be of 4000 to 7000 words in length and short stories no more than 5000 words long. Reviews should be concise. Read our full submission guidelines.

Please submit all manuscripts via our submissions page.

There are also opportunities for guest edited editions.

Revenant is committed to Green politics and emphasises that the ‘natural’ is part of the super-natural.

International Irish Gothic Conference (CFP expired 9/1/13)

International Irish Gothic Conference 5-6 December, 2013

full name / name of organization: 

Università degli Studi di Perugia / Università per Stranieri di Perugia

contact email: 

perugiairishgothic@gmail.com

International Irish Gothic Conference
5-6 December, 2013
Università degli Studi di Perugia / Università per Stranieri di Perugia

Gothic studies have recently been expanding previous limits of what was once thought to be an historically well defined genre. The extent of continual change in Gothic denotation is such that it is now approaching the status of an inter-genre inter-semiotic category. This is even more the case with Irish literature. Not only because a remarkable number of Gothic writers are Irish, but also, and more significantly, because Ireland has provided an extremely fruitful cultural background for the particular narrative forms and devices that are usually associated with the Gothic. Moreover, Irish literature presents a “gothicness” of its own, whereby it seems to simultaneously adhere to and reject the ideological and aesthetic models implied by the very notion of Gothic.

At this conference we will explore the ways in which Irish Gothic can/cannot be considered part of the mainstream Gothic tradition, as well as investigating the origins and evolution of the genre in an Irish context.
We welcome submissions addressing any topic relevant to Irish studies, and encourage papers, which explore any aspect of the Irish Gothic in literature, film, and other media.

Confirmed Speakers:

• Professor W. J. McCormack (Former Professor of Literary History at Goldsmiths College, University of London)
• Professor Francesca Romana Paci (Full Professor, Università del Piemonte Orientale)
• Dr Laura Pelaschiar (Senior Lecturer in English Literature, Università di Trieste)
• Dr Derek Hand (Senior Lecturer in English, Saint' Patrick's College, Dublin City University)

Topics include, but are not limited to:

• Irish Gothic vs English Gothic
• The Birth of Irish Gothic
• Theorising Irish Gothic
• Irish Gothic Modernisms
• The Uncanny in Irish Fiction
• Victorian Irish Gothic
• Irish Gothic Geography
• Irish Gothic in the Media
• Irish Gothic Art
• Irish Gothic and Psychology
• Irish Gothic and Imperialism
• Irish Gothic and Science
• Irish Gothic and Technology
• Irish Gothic and Popular “Goth” Culture
• Irish Gothic and History

THE CONFERENCE PROCEEDINGS WILL BE PUBLISHED

Abstracts (250 words max) for 20 minute papers and a short bio-sketch may be submitted to Enrico Terrinoni (Università per Stranieri di Perugia) and Annalisa Volpone (Università degli Studi di Perugia): perugiairishgothic@gmail.com.

Deadline for submissions: September 1, 2013.
Accepted speakers will be notified by September 20.

Conference fee: Euro 25; Euro 15 for students and the unwaged

CFP Neo-Victorian Villain collecttion (9/15/13)

Note interest in Dracula and Victorian monster Mr. Hyde.

[UPDATE] Deadline extended for 'Neo-Victorian Villains' edited volume

full name / name of organization: 

Benjamin Poore, University of York, UK

contact email: 

benjamin.poore@york.ac.uk

The deadline for chapter proposals for this edited collection has been extended to September 15th. There has been a very strong response so far, but there are still some areas mentioned in the CFP (reproduced below) that I would very much like to see proposals on, to help address the full range of the subject and different approaches to neo-Victorianism.

As before, potential contributors are invited to submit a 250-word abstract for consideration, along with a biographical note of 50 to 100 words, to:

Dr Benjamin Poore (Department of Theatre, Film and Television, University of York) at benjamin.poore@york.ac.uk

Neo-Victorian Villains: Neo-Victorian Fiction, Adaptation and Performance

The collection will provide an innovative and wide-ranging exploration of the afterlives of the Victorian villain, in fiction, and stage and screen performance.

Subjects covered may include, but are not limited to:

• Direct transmedia adaptations - from nineteenth-century classic fiction and neo-Victorian novels, to stage, screen, console and graphic novel. 

•  Intertextuality – including allusion, pastiche and crossover fiction and film.

• Genealogies of villainy from the nineteenth century to the present day – investigating the development of such figures and types as the supervillain, the master of disguise, the adventuress, the mesmerist, the femme fatale, and the split-personality. 

• The afterlives of specific Victorian villains in modern culture, for example: Augustus Melmotte, Michael Henchard, Count Fosco, Sweeney Todd, Svengali, Dracula, Edward Hyde, Hawley Griffin, Dorian Gray, Professor Moriarty, Jack the Ripper, Lucy Graham, Helen Vaughan, Lydia Gwilt.

• Processes of production, from the commissioning, filming and design of Victorian and neo-Victorian screen adaptations, to actors’ processes and approaches to their roles, as well as those of playwrights and screenwriters.

CFP American Horrors Conference (11/15/13)

American Horrors from the Great Depression to the Great Recession

full name / name of organization: 

Dr Jonas Prida//College of St Joseph

contact email: 

jonas.prida@csj.edu

The 80 years between these two horrific economic events also coincide with the high point of H.P. Lovecraft and Weird Tales on one end and the recent resurgence of horror on the other. With these dates as a delineation, The College of St Joseph is seeking proposals for our annual popular culture conference. Explorations of any horrific texts during this period are welcomed, as are interdisciplinary and multi-disciplinary approaches. Papers will be presented at The College of St Joseph, located in Rutland, VT, April 11-12.

Potential topics [this list should not be seen as limiting]:

Cultural contexts for the 1980s horror boom

The forgotten Forties: Horror writing during WWII

Middle and late period Stephen King

Rural horror

Warren Publications and the economics of horror comics

Dead Space and horrific video games

Richard Matheson, Charles Beaumont and the California Circle

Fantastic horrors in Karl Wagner

They got us Barbara: Zombies from Night of the Living Dead to World War Z

Undergraduate horror: teaching the supernatural

250-300 word abstracts should be sent to Dr Jonas Prida at jonas.prida@csj.edu by Nov 15th.

Papers/presentations should be in the 3000 word range and/or 15-20 minute presentations. We encourage creative presentations,co-presentations, faculty/undergraduate collaboration, and graduate students. Any questions can be sent to Dr Jonas Prida as well.

CFP Evil Incarnate Conference (1/1/14)

Evil Incarnate: Manifestations of Villains and Villainy

full name / name of organization: 

Case Western Reserve University and Crime Studies Network

contact email: 

evilincarnate@case.edu

Evil Incarnate: Manifestations of Villains and Villainy
11-13 July 2014
Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH

Confirmed Keynote Speakers: Prof. David Frankfurter (Religious Studies, Boston University); Prof. Ronald Holmes (Justice Administration, University of Louisville); Prof. William Paul (Film Studies, Washington University in St. Louis)

The concept of villainy is a universal: the dichotomy of good versus evil has been a central conflict underlying ideologies and praxis across cultures and time. What, after all, is a hero without the villain as a foil? This conference asks: what defines villainy? Is it moral? Cultural? Inherent or the product of circumstance? How are villains represented textually, culturally, and politically? What does the presence of the villain do to the issues in which they are embedded? How would the issues change in their absence? By exploring the concept of villainy as it manifests itself, we want to explore the various permutations of villainy and their consequences.

Ultimately, we seek definition for villains in an attempt to overturn the characterizing of this pursuit as “[T]he motive-hunting of a motiveless malignity,” because, unfortunately, the designation of evil incarnate is also that of villainy beyond understanding (S. T. Coleridge). Instead, this conference asks whether W.H. Auden provided a more accurate depiction in his assertion that “evil is unspectacular and always human.” We hope that by coming to terms with villains and villainy, we can better understand the meaning of a hero’s victory.
We are interested in papers from a variety of disciplinary and inter-disciplinary perspectives.

Possible topics include, but are not limited to:

• Villains and crime in literature and /or fiction

• Villains and monsters in the media/ media constructions of villainy

• Moral transgression, evil, and villainy

• The making of national enemies

• Evil and history

• Evil as a necessity

• Monsters Across Cultures

• What Causes Evil

• Aliens and alienation

• Supernatural Evil and the Occult

• Political villains such as Dictators,Tyrants, Fascists, and/or Nazis

• Terrorists

• Criminality in Society

• Holocausts

Please send 300-word abstracts words for papers of 20 minutes to evilincarnate_at_case.edu by January 1, 2014. The abstract should also include a 50-word biographical note and AV requests. Please indicate if you wish the abstract to be considered for inclusion in the post-conference publications. We will send acceptances by February 28, 2014.

Conference Organizers: Drs. Malcah Effron and Brian Johnson (English, Case Western Reserve University)
Conference Sponsors: CWRU Department of English and the Crime Studies Network
Contact Details: evilincarnate_at_case.edu
Abstract Deadline: 1 January 2014

CFP Science/Occult in 19th Century (NeMLA) (9/30/13)

Science and the Occult in the Long Nineteenth Century; NEMLA Apr 3-6, 2014

full name / name of organization: 

45th Annual Convention, Northeast Modern Language Association

contact email: 

lhm@gwmail.gwu.edu

Science and the Occult in the Long Nineteenth Century
45th Annual Convention, Northeast Modern Language Association (NeMLA)
April 3-6, 2014
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
Host: Susquehanna University

The goal of this panel is to explore the intersections between two current themes in British literary studies: the influence of science on the literature and culture of the long nineteenth century and the period’s simultaneous fascination with and investigation of the occult. While science and the occult are often assumed to occupy different discourses culturally and, particularly in terms of genre, narratively, such a separation is artificial.
This panel seeks papers which explore the intersections between science and the occult as seen in British writing and literature from the long nineteenth century. Ideally papers will address what these discourses tell us about their cultural moment and the development of scientific epistemes. Papers ranging in topic from Romanticism to fin de siecle, from science writing to penny dreadfuls, from magic to physics are welcome.

Please email 250-300 word abstracts and a brief bio to Leigha McReynolds, lhm@gwmail.gwu.edu, by September 30th.

Deadline: September 30, 2013

Please include with your abstract:
Name and Affiliation
Email address
Postal address
Telephone number
A/V requirements (if any; $10 handling fee with registration)

The 2014 NeMLA convention continues the Association's tradition of sharing innovative scholarship in an engaging and generative location. This capitol city set on the Susquehanna River is known for its vibrant restaurant scene, historical sites, the National Civil War museum, and nearby Amish Country, antique shops and Hershey Park. NeMLA has arranged low hotel rates of $104-$124.

The 2014 event will include guest speakers, literary readings, professional events, and workshops. A reading by George Saunders will open the Convention. His 2013 collection of short fiction, The Tenth of December, has been acclaimed by the New York Times as “the best book you’ll read this year.” The Keynote speaker will be David Staller of Project Shaw.

Interested participants may submit abstracts to more than one NeMLA session; however, panelists can only present one paper (panel or seminar). Convention participants may present a paper at a panel and also present at a creative session or participate in a roundtable. http://www.nemla.org/convention/2014/cfp.html

CFP Illustrated Gothic (Spec. Issue) (12/30/13)

Special Issue of Studies in Gothic Fiction: The Illustrated Gothic: Comics, Graphic Novels and Popular Culture

full name / name of organization: 

Studies in Gothic Fiction; Guest Editor: Jeffrey Kahan, University of La Verne.

contact email: 

Jeffrey Kahan (Vortiger@hotmail.com)

Special Issue of Studies in Gothic Fiction
The Illustrated Gothic: Comics, Graphic Novels and Popular Culture
Guest Editor: Jeffrey Kahan, University of La Verne.

What is considered Gothic and how we define it continues to evolve. Proposals for individual or collaborative papers are invited on the idea of the Gothic in comics, graphic novels and popular culture.

Proposals from diverse theoretical perspectives ranging across different genres and mediums (fiction, film, comics, graphic novels, etc.) are especially welcome. Possible topics might include (but are not limited to):

• visuals and early Gothic chapbooks

• Gothic comics and graphic novels

• commercialization and adaptation of the Gothic

• Gothics and popular art, film, etc.

Detailed proposals (500-1,000 words) for articles of 5,000-6,000 words, as well as all inquiries regarding this issue, should be sent to the guest editor: Jeffrey Kahan at Vortiger@hotmail.com

Please note that the deadline for proposals: December 30, 2013; likely publication: late spring 2014.

CFP Supernatural Creatures Conference (1/31/14)

Supernatural Creatures: from Elf-Shot to Shrek (September 22-24, 2014)

full name / name of organization: 

University of Lodz, Poland

contact email: 

lodz.fantastic.lit@gmail.com

The second Lodz Fantastic Literature Conference aims to bring together experts in folklore, medieval and early modern literature and culture as well as contemporary fantasy literature to explore the fascinating relationship between supernatural creatures and humankind. For centuries these creatures have been seen in both positive and negative light – sometimes as benevolent neighbours, many a time as dangerous folk to interfere with, at other times still as tricksters positioned outside of the traditional dichotomy of friend or foe. Their cultural presence is a force to be reckoned within the study of pre-modern, modern as well as post-modern literature, and the current fascination of popular culture with their history and nature begs ever new questions about why they continue to seem so indispensible to us.

We would like to invite contributions that address the nature and function of the beliefs of past eras, their postmodern transformations, and especially those which trace the (dis)continuities in the ways in which these creatures have been imagined and perceived over the ages. From medieval fairies through Tinker Bell to Orlando Bloom’s Legolas, from Fafnir to Glaurung or Smaug, the conference aims to investigate the nature of the undying fascination with the supernatural denizens of our (?) world by asking questions such as:

- how useful is it to speak of supernatural creatures in trying to capture their role in culture?

- what generic distinctions have traditionally been applied to classify them and how useful have they been?

- how has the perception of the relationship between them and us changed over time and how useful is it to juxtapose them and us in the first place?

- what cultural and historical forces have determined the thriving of some creatures in the human imagination to the point of sidelining others?

- how close to original beliefs is the presentation of these creatures in contemporary fantasy literature?

- can science-fiction literature be considered as a repository for these beliefs the way post-Tolkienian “sword & sorcery” is often seen to be?

We would like to encourage theoretical contributions that probe the issues mentioned above, but we are also looking forward to proposals of papers dealing with the presence of supernatural creatures in particular works of literature, or, in the modern context, film. While the focus of the conference is on the folklore and literature of the peoples of the British Isles and their immediate neighbours, including the Anglo-Saxons, the Celts and the Scandinavians, comparative analyses within the broad area of European folklore are also welcome.

Submissions of topics and abstracts (300-400 words) should reach the organisers no later than
January 31st, 2014. 

For submissions and enquiries please contact the organisers at:
lodz.fantastic.lit@gmail.com
For detailed information please see:
www.filolog.uni.lodz.pl/engdrama/fantastic

CFP Zombies Spec Issue of Journal for Cultural and Religious Theory (Papers by 9/30/13)

UPDATE (Revised Deadline): The Cultural and Political Life of Zombies

full name / name of organization: 

Journal for Cultural and Religious Theory

contact email: 

dweiss@ycp.edu

The Cultural and Political Life of Zombies

Does it suddenly seem like the living dead are everywhere? Lumbering past cyborgs, mutants, werewolves, and, yes, even vampires, zombies are the monsters du jour. Zombies have taken up residence in the pages of fiction (literary hits such as Colson Whitehead’s Zone One, The Walking Dead comic books, pulp zombie apocalypse narratives such as World War Z, and young adult fiction such as Warm Bodies) and inhabit our various screens, from television shows such as AMC’s ubiquitous The Walking Dead, to movies (from 1968’s Night of the Living Dead to the more recent 28 Days Later, I Am Legend, and Shaun of the Dead), and video games (Resident Evil, Left 4 Dead). We have zombie runs, zombie computers, Nazi zombies, and zombie banks. Even zombie strippers and zombie studies. They have come from space, from nature, from biotech labs, and the dark recesses of the globe. They even have their own CDC website and inhabit a growing area of scholarly debate over the status of philosophical zombies. We’re seemingly surrounded by the living dead.

What are zombies and why are they now so prevalent across both pop culture and academia? The Journal for Cultural and Religious Theory proposes a special issue to critically examine the resurgence of interest in the zombie as a cultural and political figure. We invite papers from across the disciplines that explore diverse aspects of this vibrant cultural phenomenon and address the current popularity of the living dead.
Completed papers must be submitted by September 30, 2013. Authors will be notified of acceptance by November 30, 2013. Projected publication: Spring, 2014. Please submit papers to dweiss@ycp.edu.
Submit electronic copies of completed papers (3000 – 6000 words). Abstracts cannot be considered. Papers will be subject to a double blind review by a selection committee. Include your name, paper title and contact information on a separate page. Include the paper title but not your name on a header or footer on each numbered page of the paper itself. The papers must be previously unpublished in any format.

The Journal for Cultural and Religious Theory is a peer-reviewed journal devoted to both disciplinary and interdisciplinary scholarship of a cutting-edge nature that deals broadly with the phenomenon of religious and cultural theory. Subfields include, but are not limited to, philosophical and cultural theory, theological studies, postcolonial and globalization theory, religious studies, literary theory, cultural studies, ethnic, area, and gender studies, communications, semiotics, and linguistics. No term papers, religious advocacy pieces, unsolicited book reviews or opinion pieces, etc. will be considered. The Journal is FREE of charge, is published three times a year (Winter, Spring and Fall).

All manuscripts submitted, or revised, for publication must be in Microsoft Word format. No hard copies of manuscripts will be accepted. The Journal for Cultural and Religious Theory uses the Chicago Manual of Style for all published reviews and articles. The basic elements of the CMoS can be found athttp://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/717/01/.

Of particular importance:

• All notes must be footnotes. Internal references, i.e. page numbers for a previous footnote citation, are allowed.
•  Citations should follow CMS, documentation one. [See especially 15.83ff., 15.217ff., 15.244.] The use of p. or pp. should be avoided. Here are some example footnotes:

  8. Slavoj Zizek, The Puppet and the Dwarf: The Perverse Core of Christianity (Cambridge: The MIT Press, 2003), 5.

  
  

  9. Carl Raschke, "Bataille's Gift," The Journal for Cultural and Religious Theory 5.1 (December 2003), 7.

• 10. Steven G. Smith, Review of Levinas and the Philosophy of Religion, by Jeffrey L. Kosky, Journal of the American Academy of Religion 71.2 (June 2003), 469.
• Bibliographies or lists of references should not be used unless absolutely necessary. Citations in footnoting should be written so as to be sufficient.
• All articles or reviews must have the title, first and last name of the author, and institutional affiliation at the top of the article - flush left.
• Do not in the body of the text give acknowledgements. Do so in a footnote.
• All paragraphs must have a blank space between them and start flush left without indentation. Paragraph numeration is no longer necessary for the JCRT.

Once the article is accepted for publication, it is the author's responsibility to resubmit the review or article using the standard journal style within twenty days after notification of acceptance. At that time the author must also submit a brief biographical sketch of themselves two or three sentences in length.

CFP Monstrous Maternity (NeMLA) (9/30/13)

NeMLA 2014 Monstrous Maternity: Mothering Monsters, and Monsters as Mothers, Deadline 9/30/13

full name / name of organization: 

A. L. Mishou / NeMLA

contact email: 

almishou@gmail.com

Monstrous Maternity: Mothering Monsters, and Monsters as Mothers
45th Annual Convention, Northeast Modern Language Association (NeMLA)
April 3-6, 2014
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
Host: Susquehanna University

Historically, the flaws of offspring have been placed as a burden on the mother, marking the maternal figure as responsible for all aspects of her progeny's development; if a child is born with a deformity then a shock experienced during gestation is to be blamed, and if a child suffers from a caustic disposition it is the mother's care that comes under scrutiny. These questions continue to be reflected in literature and film, as texts seek to place blame for monstrous acts, and texts seek to find a space for maternity in the monstrous or supernatural. So what can be said of the mothers of monsters? Or of the offspring of monstrous women? This panel proposes an examination of the subject of monstrosity and maternity as presented in literature and film, from *Beowulf* to *Wuthering Heights*, ‘Psycho’ to 'Mommy Dearest' to ‘Twilight’, examining the development of monsters as both mothers and progeny, and how the maternal role contributes to the defining of what is monstrous.

Areas of interest include:

• Mothers in Gothic novels
• The absent mother in monster literature
• Monstrous mothers
• Mothering monsters
• Depictions of monstrous mothers in film
• The question of blame and the true crime genre
• Supernatural motherhood
• Alternative maternity in literature and film

This panel will examine the correlation between motherhood and monstrosity, as represented and defined in both literature and film. Areas of interest include, but are not limited to: mothers in gothic literature, the absent mother in monster texts, monstrous mothers, mothering monsters, depictions of monstrous mothers in film, the question of blame and true crime, supernatural motherhood, and alternative maternity in literature and film. Please send proposals and brief biographical notes to A.L. Mishou, USNA, almishou@gmail.com.

Deadline: September 30, 2013
Please include with your abstract:
Name and Affiliation
Email address
Postal address
Telephone number
A/V requirements (if any; $10 handling fee with registration)

The 2014 NeMLA convention continues the Association's tradition of sharing innovative scholarship in an engaging and generative location. This capitol city set on the Susquehanna River is known for its vibrant restaurant scene, historical sites, the National Civil War museum, and nearby Amish Country, antique shops and Hershey Park. NeMLA has arranged low hotel rates of $104-$124.

The 2014 event will include guest speakers, literary readings, professional events, and workshops. A reading by George Saunders will open the Convention. His 2013 collection of short fiction, The Tenth of December, has been acclaimed by the New York Times as “the best book you’ll read this year.” The Keynote speaker will be David Staller of Project Shaw.

Interested participants may submit abstracts to more than one NeMLA session; however, panelists can only present one paper (panel or seminar). Convention participants may present a paper at a panel and also present at a creative session or participate in a roundtable. http://www.nemla.org/convention/2014/cfp.html

CFP Supernatural in the Nineteenth Century (Spec. Issue) (11/30/13)

CFA: Supernatural in the Nineteenth Century

full name / name of organization: 

The Journal of Supernatural Studies

contact email: 

supernaturalstudies@gmail.com 

CFA: Supernatural in the Nineteenth Century (abstracts: 30 November 2013, articles: 31 March 2014)
full name / name of organization:
The Journal of Supernatural Studies
contact email:
supernaturalstudies@gmail.com
 
The Supernatural Studies Journal is now accepting proposals for a themed issue on the supernatural in the nineteenth century (due Winter 2014), guest edited by Janine Hatter and Sara Williams.
Articles may examine any aspect of the representation of the supernatural within the context of worldwide literature, arts and material culture in the nineteenth century. We welcome any approach, but request that authors minimize jargon associated with any single-discipline studies.

Suggested topics include, but are not limited to:

folklore & mythology, monstrosity, hybridity, vampires, shapeshifters, goblins, fairies and fairy tales, ghosts and hauntings, demons and angels, possession and/or mind control, death and dying, burial rites, occult, mysticism, spiritualism and séances, spirit photography, religion, superstition, voodoo, culture, philosophy, desire, politics, gender, race, sexuality and class.

Additionally, we are seeking reviews of books that engage with elements of the nineteenth century supernatural (800-1,000 words in length).

For articles: please send a 300-500 word abstract (or complete article, if available) and C.V. by 30 November 2013. All submissions will be acknowledged. Notification of acceptance will be e-mailed by 15 December 2013. If your abstract is accepted, the full article (3,000 - 6,000 words, including references using MLA style) will be 31 March 2014.

For reviews: please send a C.V. and description of the book you would like to review, or alternatively, see the journal’s website for available books.

Further information, including Submission Guidelines, are available at the journal site: supernaturalstudies.org.
Please e-mail submissions to both j.hatter@hull.ac.uk and s.williams2@hull.ac.uk. If emailing the journal directly at supernaturalstudies@gmail.com please quote ‘nineteenth century’ in the subject box.

CFP Gothic Area PCA/ACA

Additional details on the UPenn CFP site at http://call-for-papers.sas.upenn.edu/node/52708.

Gothic Literature, Film & Culture

All Proposals & Abstracts Must Be Submitted Through The PCA Database.
Please submit a proposal to only one area at a time. Exceptions and rules

CALL FOR PAPERS

We welcome papers and presentations on any aspect of the Gothic in film, literature, or other forms of cultural expression. All critical approaches are welcome.

You can propose an individual paper or a panel session of three or four presenters. Graduate students are especially encouraged to submit papers or panels.

Individual papers will be grouped into sessions based on historical, thematic, disciplinary or critical affinities.

Participants will be asked to serve as session chairs. Sessions are scheduled in one-and-a-half hour slots, ideally with four papers or speakers per session, so individual papers should be limited to a length of approximately 15 minutes.

Submit a one-page (250-500 word) proposal or abstract.

Please send all inquires to:

Louis H. Palmer, III
English Dept.
Castleton State College
6 Alumni Drive
Castleton, VT 05373
802.468.1341
Fax: 802.468.6045
louis.palmer@castleton.edu

CFP Horror Area PCA/ACA (11/1/13)

Horror

All Proposals & Abstracts Must Be Submitted Through The PCA Database.
Please submit a proposal to only one area at a time. Exceptions and rules

CALL FOR PAPERS

The Horror Area co-chairs of the Popular Culture Association invite interested scholars to submit proposals for papers or complete panels on any aspect of horror in fiction, cinema, television, gaming, theory and culture.

Your paper proposal should include:

1) 100- to 250-word abstract, including paper title;
2) a notification of any audio-visual needs.

Your panel or roundtable proposal should include:

1) suggested panel/roundtable title;
2) 100- to 250-word abstract identifying the theoretical framework, or guiding questions and thesis of your panel/roundtable;
3) 100- to 250-word abstracts, including titles, for each of your presenters’ papers;
4) a list of presenters and their affiliations;
5) a notification of any audio-visual needs.

Please note that proposals that are overly general are difficult to review; accordingly, your abstract should outline your main argument or research questions, your thesis and main points, and your projected conclusions.

Submitting the same or various proposals to different subject areas of the PCA is not allowed. Presenters are, however, permitted to submit proposals for both a roundtable discussion and a panel presentation. Acceptance of your paper obligates you to present the paper at the conference. You must also be present at the conference to present your own work—no “readings by proxy” are allowed.

PCA/ACA Endowment Grants: PCA/ACA offers 54 travel grants to the conference as well as research and collections grants. The deadline for submitting applications for grants is January 7, 2012. For an overview of, and application forms for each grant go to: http://www.pcaaca.org/grant/overview.php.

Important: All presenters 1) must be registered members of the PCA or ACA and 2) must register for the conference.  Information on how to access membership and registration forms will be sent to you upon acceptance of your presentation. Or, go now to the PCA/ACA website: http://pcaaca.org/national-conference-2/instructions-for-the-submission-database/.

Please send all inquires to:

Jim Iaccino
The Chicago School of Prof. Psychology
pcahorror@gmail.com

Carl Sederholm
Brigham Young University
pcahorror@gmail.com

Kristopher Woofter
Concordia University
pcahorror@gmail.com

CFP Vampire Area PCA/ACA (11/1/13)

The Vampire in Literature, Culture & Film

All Proposals & Abstracts Must Be Submitted Through The PCA Database.
Please submit a proposal to only one area at a time. Exceptions and rules
CALL FOR PAPERS

The Vampire in literature, Culture and Film area of the PCA/ACA is soliciting papers, presentations, and/or four-person panels on any aspect of the Vampire in literature, culture or film.

Submit your 250-300 word abstract to the PCA Database.

Please send all inquires to:

Mary Findley
Vermont Technical College
Randolph, VT 05061
mfindley@vtc.edu

Phil Simpson
Eastern Florida State College
SimpsonP@easternflorida.edu

Blog Update September 2013

I've been remiss of late in updating the blog and have quite a backlog of calls for papers to add. I will begin the process today and hopefully finish by the weekend.

Michael Torregrossa

Clive Bloom's Gothic Histories

Here's the start of our reading list. Clive Bloom's Gothic Histories: The Taste for Terror, 1764 to the Present (2010) is an interesting little book that has been both praised and pilloried. The book covers a lot of ground (usually very quickly), and, while it is hard to discern the intended audience, there are some useful nuggets to be found within.

The following details are from the publisher's website:

Gothic Histories: The Taste for Terror, 1764 to the Present

By: Clive Bloom

Published: 06-06-2010
Format: Paperback
Edition: 1st
Extent: 224
ISBN: 9781847060518
Imprint: Continuum
Dimensions: 5" x 7 3/4"
RRP: $24.95

About Gothic Histories

In the middle of the eighteenth century the Gothic became the universal language of architecture, painting and literature, expressing a love not only of ruins, decay and medieval pageantry, but also the drug-induced monsters of the mind.

By explaining the international dimension of Gothicism and dealing in detail with German, French and American authors, Gothic Histories demonstrates the development of the genre in every area of art and includes original research on Gothic theatre, spiritualism, ‘ghost seeing' and spirit photography and the central impact of penny-dreadful writers on the genre, while also including a host of forgotten or ignored authors and their biographies.

Gothic Histories is essential reading for anyone interested in the history of the Gothic and its literary double, the horror genre, leading the reader from their origins in the haunted landscapes of the Romantics through Frankenstein and Dracula to the very different worlds of Hannibal Lecter and Goth culture. Comprehensive and up-to-date, it is a fascinating guide to the Gothic and horror in film, fiction and popular culture.


Table Of Contents

Acknowledgements
1.Now Welcome the Night: The Origins of Gothic Culture
2. Every True Goth: From Horace Walpole's Strawberry Hill to Thomas De Quincey' Opium Dreams
3. With Raven Wings: Ann Radcliffe, German Horrors ands the Divine Marquis
4. Land of Shadows: Melmoth the Wanderer and Sweeney Todd
5. Dark Reflections in a Dull Mirror: Fuseli's ‘The Nightmare' and the Origins of Gothic Theatre
6. Desire and Loathing Strangely Mixed: Gothic Melodrama and The Phantom of the Opera
7. Do You See It? The Gothic and the Ghostly
8. It's Alive: The Rise of the Gothic Movie
9. After Midnight: Goth Culture, Vampire Games and the Irresistible Rise of Twilight
Further Selected Readings in the Gothic
Index


About the author:

Clive Bloom is Professor Emeritus of English and American Studies at Middlesex University, UK. He currently teaches at both New York University and the University of Notre Dame. He has written many books on popular culture, cultural history and literary criticism, regularly appears on radio and television and contributes to a number of national newspapers.

Useful reviews include the following:

Franklin, Caroline. HistoryExtra.com: The Official Website of BBC History Magazine 1 July 2010. Web. http://www.historyextra.com/book-review/gothic-histories-taste-terror-1764-present

Mackley, Jon. Literary London: Interdisciplinary Studies in the Representation of London 8.2 (September 2010). Web. http://www.literarylondon.org/london-journal/september2010/mackley2.html

Reyes, Xavier Aldana. The Gothic Imagination 3 June 2011. Web. http://www.gothic.stir.ac.uk/blog/clive-bloom-gothic-histories-the-taste-for-terror/

Rogers, Deborah D. Times Higher Education 20 May 2010. Web. http://www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/411634.article

1st Global Conference on Shapeshifters CFP (6/14/13)

This one sounds really interesting:

1st Global Conference: Shapeshifters: Transformations, Hybridity and Identity
Location: Greece Conference Date: 2013-11-01
Date Submitted: 2013-03-26
Announcement ID: 202533

1st Global Conference Shapeshifters: Transformations, Hybridity and Identity
Friday 1st November 2013 – Sunday 3rd November 2013
Athens, Greece

Call for Presentations

This conference seeks to explore the role of the shapeshifter in popular and literary culture. Chantal Bourgault du Coudray notes that ‘an ever- growing body of scholarship utilizes the concept of hybrid or heterogeneous identity. The hybrid identity is theorized and celebrated as a response to the demands of a fragmented, multi- dimensional, postmodern world, one in which shifting boundaries and a multiplicity of subject positions make it impossible to assume a homogeneous or stable subjectivity.’ Theorists such as Katherine Hayles and Donna Haraway discuss the implications of hybridity in the posthuman. Asa Simon Mittman and Peter J. Dendle deal with the monstrosity of hybridity. Many critics discuss iterations of the werewolf in literature and film. However, relatively few scholars have addressed the figure of the shapeshifter other than the werewolf, despite the rising number of shapeshifters appearing in a variety of genres. This conference seeks to address that lack by examining the role of the shapeshifter in culture, including literature, film, television, graphic novels, fan cultures and video games. We are interested in essays dealing with any time period or genre. We welcome contributions from all disciplines.

We invite perspectives that explore the shapeshifter as symbol of identity, hybridity, boundary, or sexuality.

We likewise invite reflections on whether the nature of our tales of shapeshifters tells us anything about who and what we are and where we might be headed. What does it mean to change shape? What problems/issues could arise from such an ability? What concerns are raised about physicality historically, culturally, politically? What about non- human shifters? Ghosts that change form? Individuals that can change into non corporal forms like smoke? Humans that change into other humans? Note that we do not seek to limit the idea of “shapeshifters” to human- to- animal changes such as werewolves; we are interested in the idea of shifting shapes in a variety of contexts.

We encourage scholarly contributions from inter-, multi-, and transdisciplinary perspectives, from practitioners working in all contexts. We will entertain submissions drawn from literature, medicine, politics, social history, film, television, graphic novels and manga, from science to science fiction.

Topics may include but are not limited to:
 -Historical medical discourses about shapeshifters
-The monstrosity of shapeshifters
-Freak(s) – of nature; of technology; accidents of birth
-Queering form
-Invading and possessing bodies
-Science fiction: inter- species reproduction: non-human reproduction, hybrids
-Issues of identity: does the shapeshifitng entity share one identity? Are multiple identities cohabitating in one body?
-Issues of body image: to what degree does control of one’s own body tie into the idea of “shapeshifting”? How does the issue of changing shape tie in to plastic surgery? What about eating disorders? To what degree are our identities anchored to our outward appearances; does a change in one affect the other?
-What could be possible reasons for the rising occurrence of shapeshifitng bodies in popular culture during the last ten years?
-Paranormal romance novels feature an abundance of shapeshifitng
-Posthumanism: has the issue of “shape” become irrelevant in posthuman studies? How does shifting shape tie in to posthumanism?
-Cyberspace issues: Have we indeed become the cyborg?
-DNA gambles and gene manipulations: the meaning of the shapeshifter in science and culture
-Alternate Worlds/realities
-(Dis)Ability—representations of mental illness, psychotherapeutic techniques, (de)institutionalization in the changing of the body
-Interpersonal Communication: body language
-(Neuro)Science and Technology—ethics (e.g., human experimentations)
-Teen shapeshifters
-Role-playing, gaming and MMORPGs
-Mythologies and folkloric belief
-Magic, transformation and the body
-Theoretical considerations of gender, female and non-normative sexuality
-The female shapeshifter as/and the other
-The male shapeshifter as/and the other
-Post-9/11 shapeshifting and its implications
-Cultural shapeshifting, mimcry, integration and post-colonial identity
-Carnivalesque as a performance
-Performance in relation to the shapeshifter: performing gender, performing identities, performing sexuality, performing cultural belonging/stereotypes
-The way we dress as a shapeshifting act: cross- dressing, transvestism, drag
-McDonald´s is going green: The shapeshifting nature of corporations and institutions

The Steering Group particularly welcomes the submission of pre-formed panel proposals. Papers and presentations will also be considered on any related theme. 300 word abstracts or presentation proposals should be submitted by Friday 14th June 2013. If an abstract is accepted for the conference, a full draft paper, if appropriate, should be submitted by Friday 13th September 2013.

What to Send
300 word abstracts or presentation proposals should be submitted simultaneously to both Organising Chairs; abstracts may be in Word, WordPerfect, or RTF formats with the following information and in this order:

a) author(s), b) affiliation, c) email address, d) title of abstract, e) body of abstract, f) up to 10 keywords. E- mails should be entitled: SHAPE1 Abstract Submission

Please use plain text (Times Roman 12) and abstain from using footnotes and any special formatting, characters or emphasis (such as bold, italics or underline). We acknowledge receipt and answer to all paper proposals submitted. If you do not receive a reply from us in a week you should assume we did not receive your proposal; it might be lost in cyberspace! We suggest, then, to look for an alternative electronic route or resend.

Organising Chairs:
Margo Collins: margoc@inter-disciplinary.net
Rob Fisher: shape1@inter-disciplinary.net

The conference is part of the Probing the Boundaries programme of research projects. It aims to bring together people from different areas and interests to share ideas and explore various discussions which are innovative and exciting. It aims to bring together people from different areas and interests to share ideas and explore discussions which are innovative and challenging. All papers accepted for and presented at this conference are eligible for publication in an ISBN eBook. Selected papers may be invited to go forward for development into a themed ISBN hard copy volume.

For further details of the conference, please visit: http://www.inter-disciplinary.net/at-the-interface/diversity-recognition/shapeshifters-transformationshybridity-and-identity/call-for-presentations/

 Please note: Inter-Disciplinary.Net is a not-for-profit network and we are not in a position to be able to assist with conference travel or subsistence

Priory House
149B Wroslyn Road
Freeland, Oxfordshire OX29 8HR
United Kingdom
Tel: +44 (0)1993 882087
Fax: +44 (0)870 4601132
Email: shape1@inter-disciplinary.net
Visit the website at http://www.inter-disciplinary.net/at-the-interface/diversity-recognition/shapeshifters-transformationshybridity-and-identity/call-for-presentations/

Material and the Immaterial in Modern Spanish Literature and Film CFP (NeMLA 9/30/13)

Two calls for paper to post tonight. Here's the first:

NEMLA 2014: Physical Transcendence: The Relationships between the Material and the Immaterial in Modern Spanish Literature and Film
Location: Pennsylvania, United States
Call for Papers Date: 2013-09-30
Date Submitted: 2013-05-22
Announcement ID: 203975

This panel seeks proposals analyzing the interaction of the material and the immaterial in the creation of literary and filmic works in Spain from the 19th century to the present day. The recurrent emphasis on the physical in modern literary and filmic texts does not preclude, and in fact often leads to, an exposition of untouchable realities. The materiality of bodies and objects, on the one hand, and the relationship between movement and space, on the other, has been instrumental in a wide array of works of fiction, poetry and film. In this panel we ask participants to reflect on how these elements of the physical world combine with those of dream, fantasy, imagination, and hallucination. Instead of treating the material and immaterial as separate domains, this panel seeks to explore how their convergence leads to the transcendental, the surreal or the fantastic in the works of modern Spanish writers and directors. It thus aims to surpass aesthetic, cultural and historical limitations by not merely linking physical objects to symbolic meaning, but also exploring how the two are interwoven in literary and filmic texts. The topics of these works frequently deal with the construction of city and state in the wake of the Disaster of 1898, the Spanish Civil War and its haunting presence in fiction, walking as an expression of desire and individuality, fetishism and its revelation of the unconscious, and more. By linking the terrestrial and corporal to the intangible and supernatural, this panel will explore the ways in which Spanish literature and film embed layers of meaning into phenomenological reality. Please send 250-300 word abstracts in English or Spanish to laurie.lomask@yale.edu or tanya.romero-gonzalez@yale.edu.

 Laurie Lomask and Tanya Romero-González
Email: laurie.lomask@yale.edu; tanya.romero-gonzalez@yale.edu

Trailer for NBC's Dracula

A final post for the weekend. NBC is apparently airing an adaptation and/or series based on Bram Stoker's Dracula this fall. The official trailer was just released:

CFP Folk Belief and Traditions of the Supernatural (no deadline listed)

"Folk Belief and Traditions of the Supernatural: Experience, Place, Ritual, and Narrative"
Location: United Kingdom
Conference Date: 2014-03-25
Date Submitted: 2013-02-07
Announcement ID: 201181

This folklore conference will explore past and present supernatural traditions worldwide, focusing on how they relate to experience, place, ritual, and narrative.

Throughout history, scholars and laypeople have theorised on supernatural experience. Europeans have debated, for example, whether fairies should be identified as demons, Jungian archetypes, symbols of nature, a race of humans, childhood bogeymen, or liminality made manifest. Is precognition a blessing, curse, delusion, or ransfer of spiritual energy? What about encounters with ghosts, gods, aliens, monsters, or the Virgin Mary? How comparable are traditions from different cultures? Where do we draw the line between religion, folk belief, science, and entertainment?

From the evening of 25 March to the afternoon of 28 March, we will be based at remote and windswept cottages on the island of Unst, where we will speak with tradition bearers and visit sites of local legend. We will spend the last two nights in Shetland’s main town of Lerwick, where delegates will give academic presentations. Throughout the event, delegates will prepare and dine on locally produced food. The events of 29-30 March take place in association with The Supernatural in Literature and Film: No separate registration is required to hear talks belonging to this conference.

 Attendance is limited to around 20 delegates, accepted on a first-come, first-serve basis. If you would like to give a talk, send an abstract (150-200 words) and biography (max. 100 words) to convenor Adam Grydehøj at agrydehoj@islanddynamics.org. Selected papers will be collected for publication in book form.

Expressions are interest are welcome, but you must register to save a place at the event. Write to convenor Adam Grydehøj at agrydehoj@islanddynamics.org to learn more.

Adam Grydehoj
Phone: +45 53401982
Email: agrydehoj@islanddynamics.org
Visit the website at http://www.islanddynamics.org/folkloreconference.html

CFP Supernatural in Literature and Film (6/1/13)

Our first CFP for the new blog:

"The Supernatural in Literature and Film: Ghosts, Fairies, Aliens, Vampires, Monsters, and Demons"
Location: United Kingdom Conference
Date: 2014-03-29
Date Submitted: 2013-02-07
Announcement ID: 201182

This conference will bring together researchers and practitioners to discuss the role of the supernatural in books and movies, past and present, worldwide.

Ever since the dawn of literature, the supernatural has played a role in the stories humanity has told about itself. But how are we to compare Medieval historical writing – with its naturalistic narratives of fairies, demons, and monsters – with present-day written and film fiction concerning vampires, aliens, and ghosts? Similarly, what are today’s readers to make of Medieval texts of a consciously fictional nature? Even in 12th Century Britain, the serious author Gerald of Wales could criticise his earlier contemporary Geoffrey of Monmouth for writing lies, yet Gerald himself delights in tales of demons and enchantment. The fascination and horror of the supernatural in film and literature is no less complex today: Whether Hollywood’s various fairy tale reboots, the ancient evils of Lovecraftian horror, the vampires and werewolves of the Twilight series, or the vengeful ghosts and giant monsters that wreak habitual destruction in Japanese cinema, popular culture has never been more magical.

29-30 March will feature academic presentations by conference delegates. On 31 March, visiting delegates will take part in a coach tour of Shetland’s wild and magnificent natural and cultural heritage sites, guided by a local storyteller. The events of 29-30 March take place in association with "Folk Belief and Traditions of the Supernatural": No separate registration is required to hear talks belonging to this conference.

 If you are interested in giving a talk, please send an abstract (150-200 words) and biography (max. 100 words) to Adam Grydehøj at agrydehoj@islanddynamics.org. All abstracts are subject to peer review, and selected papers will be collected for publication. Note that the oral presentations on 29-30 March will be delivered to a mixed audience of academics and non-academics. The final deadline for abstracts is 1 October 2013, but to take advantage of early registration rates, you must submit your abstract by 1 June 2013 at the latest.

Adam Grydehoj
Tel.: +45 53401982
Email: agrydehoj@islanddynamics.org
Visit the website at http://www.islanddynamics.org/supernatural-2014.html

Cryptid Heroes from the Kroffts

Here's the last set for tonight, two cryptid heroes from Sid and Marty Krofft:

Monster (Super)Heroes and (Super)Villains

Here's a mixed group of shows featuring monsters as superhero-like heroes and villains. Details on all five shows can be found on their respective Wikipedia pages.

Frankenstein's Cat!

Here's a fun one I came across last summer. Its very much in the vein of Beetlejuice with Nine, the eponymous Frankenstein's Cat, providing adventure for his human playmate, Lottie. The series, now out on DVD,  is based on a picture book by Curtis Jobling.

Relative of Kong?

Grape Ape, also from Hanna-Barbera, is a humorous take on the figure of King Kong. Grape is a hero and, instead of a boy, has a canine companion.

The First Family of Fright

First airing in the mid 1960s, The Munsters, a series inspired by the Universal horror films of the 1930s and '40s and depicting friendlier versions of their monstrous cast, remains a popular series with a number of reboots (the latest, Mockingbird Lane, airing last October) and continuations.

Frankenstein Jr.

Another classic Hanna-Barbara series. Again, like Frankenstein, Milton, and Speed Buggy, the robot known as Frankenstein Jr. (voiced by Ted Cassidy) is a created being and, like Godzilla and The King Kong Show, has a boy companion.




Frankenstein Jr. seems also a bit inspired by another series from the 1960s, Gigantor, as revealed below:

Speed Buggy?

Here's another example of a created being, perhaps (?) inspired also by Frankenstein.

Milton the Monster?

Here's a good version of Frankenstein's Monster. I'm not familiar with this series at all, so I will try to post further on it in the future. The first clip is apparently an early opening for the series and includes Milton's origin. The second one must be later in the series' run and focuses on other characters of the show.

Godzilla Animated

Two Godzilla cartoons up next based on the world's best known kaiju. The first from the 1970s features Godzilla and his diminutive cousin Godzooky (a pale imitation of Godzilla's filmic offspring Minya) as heroes aiding a small group of humans. 



A more recent series (based on the American feature film) puts Godzilla in a more ambivalent light, but he (she?) proves to be a hero when confronted with other monstrous creations.