CFP Space Horror in Film (collection) (8/25/2015)

This sounds like a great idea:

CFP: Essays on Space Horror in Film, 1950s - 2000s Abstract Submission Deadline: August 25, 2015
Sunday, June 14, 2015
https://networks.h-net.org/node/13784/discussions/72546/cfp-essays-space-horror-film-1950s-2000s-abstract-submission

Call for Papers

Essays on Space Horror in Film, 1950s – 2000s

Abstract Submission Deadline: August 25, 2015

In 1979, the word A L I E N was spelled out across the top of an ominous movie poster, conveying a sense of foreboding of something unknown. An eerie yellow light seeped out of the egg-shaped space pod with the tagline: In space no one hears you scream. Audiences were drawn along with the Nostromo crew as they explored the mysterious abandoned ship on LV-426 and encountered a new and hostile alien species. It was one of the first movies to successfully combine science fiction and horror in an interstellar setting, spawning several inferior imitations in the 1980s while also inspiring standout films that furthered the genre, such as Event Horizon (1997), Pitch Black (2000), Sunshine (2007), and Europa Report (2013). While it may have seemed like space horror was a new genre after the release of Ridley Scott’s film, the genre has a rich history that took hold of movie audience-goers almost thirty years prior with the space horror films that could best be classified as invasion films. With a plethora of films, much has been written about science fiction, horror or on individual films (mostly the Alien franchise), yet surprisingly, little analysis can be found on space horror as its own genre in cinema. Essays for this anthology will seek to deconstruct and analyze the genre via the films from 1950s through the present offerings with the goal of exploring and bridging the gap of critical analysis that currently exists between science fiction and the horror genres. The intended audience is expected to include individuals studying and/or curious to increase their understanding of science fiction, horror and of course, space horror.

There are several themes worth exploring when analyzing space horror, utilizing any number of theoretical framework of your choosing. Here is a brief list of ideas, which is by no means exhaustive:

• Claustrophobia,  Outer Space fears (Pandorum, Dark Star, Europa Report, The Black Hole)
• The influence of slasher films (Alien, Event Horizon, Jason X, Sunshine, Leprechaun 4: In Space)
• Psychological (2001: A Space Odyssey, Solaris, Sunshine, Moon)
• Body Horror and/or transformation (Supernova, Event Horizon, Hellraiser: Bloodline, Slither)
• Final girl (Alien, Prometheus, Dead Space: Downfall)
• Paranormal/Occult (Event Horizon, Hellraiser: Bloodline, Dracula 3000, Ghosts of Mars)
• Cold War fears (most invasion films of the 1950s – 1970s)
• Doppelganger (Event Horizon, Invasion of the Body Snatchers, The Thing, Moon)
• Compare/Contrast maleficent vs. animal “aliens” (Xenomorphs in Alien franchise vs. alien species encountered in Pitch Black, Apollo 18, Europa Report for example)
• Alien abduction (Communion, Fire In The Sky, Extraterrestrial)
• Found footage (Europa Report, Apollo 18)
• Sacrifice of self and/or self-destruct sequence (Alien franchise, Event Horizon, Critters 4, The Last Days on Mars)
• Role of AI, robotics and/or the concept of “uncanny valley” (Alien franchise, 2001: A Space Odyssey, Prometheus, Dracula 3000)
• Bram Stoker and Space Vampires (Dracula 3000, Planet of the Vampires, Lifeforce)
• Exploring Literary roots such as H.P. Lovecraft, H. G. Wells, Jules Verne, Edgar Rice Burroughs, Ray Bradbury, etc. 

I am accepting up to two abstracts in order to assemble the most cohesive arrangement of essays that will provide a well-rounded exploration and representation of this little discussed genre. The deadlines are as follows:

• August 25, 2015: Abstract of 300-500 words, 1 page CV, preliminary draft bibliography
• September 1, 2015: Notification of acceptance/rejection (editor will send comprehensive style sheet)
• January 31, 2016: Essays due of 5,000-8,000 words in length (earlier submissions welcomed and encouraged)
• February 1 - April 20, 2016: Essays will be edited and returned to the author for review and revision. The final version of the essay, author’s release and a brief contributor’s bio is due to the editor by April 20, 2016
• June 1, 2016: Manuscript  is received by the publisher

Accepted essays received on or before January 31st will continue through the editing process. The editor will utilize Microsoft Word’s tracking function to record all edits and return the edited version back to the author for final correction.

The final manuscript will be delivered to the publisher June 1, 2016. Contributors will receive a complimentary book copy when published, which is anticipated for late 2016.

Please direct all correspondence to:

Michele Brittany, Editor

Email: SpaceHorrorFilms@gmail.com

Blog: http://spacehorrorfilms.blogspot.com

Website: www.spacehorrorfilms.com

Michele Brittany is an independent popular culture scholar residing in Southern California and is the editor of James Bond and Popular Culture: Essays on the Influence of the Fictional Superspy (2014, McFarland & Company). She is the James Bond, Espionage and Eurospy Area Chair for the Southwest Popular/American Culture Association’s annual conference. She is a West Coast Correspondent for Bleeding Cool and writes daily on all things spy related at her blog, Spy-Fi & Superspies. She annually presents at the SWPACA and has presented at Wondercon Anaheim as part of the Comic Arts Conference series. She is also an academic member of the Horror Writer’s Association in Los Angeles.

Michele Brittany, Editor
Independent Scholar
Email: spacehorrorfilms@gmail.com
Visit the website at http://www.spacehorrorfilms.com

CFP Edited Collection: Monstrous Moral Messengers: Supernatural Figures in Children’s Picture Books and Early Readings (6/10/15)

Been meaning to post this one:

CFP for Edited Collection - Monstrous Moral Messengers: Supernatural Figures in Children’s Picture Books and Early Readings
MAY 30 2015
http://www.theofantastique.com/2015/05/30/cfp-for-edited-collection-monstrous-moral-messengers-supernatural-figures-in-childrens-picture-books-and-early-readings/

CFP for Edited Collection: Monstrous Moral Messengers: Supernatural Figures in Children’s Picture Books and Early Readings

Picture books and early readers carry all the weight of parental authority, and are essential tools in the learning process for our children. With their bright pictures, they perform their function of holding the child’s attention quite well, and they are accessed freely and repeatedly. They offer children not only hours of sanctioned entertainment and carefully chosen words and concepts, they also introduce our youngest children to specific cultural norms and belief systems. What role then does the supernatural character play for children learning to “read” and interpret the values in the interplay of images, words, and authority? Is there a difference, for the child, when the protagonist shown in the picture is a werewolf, fairy, or ghost? What message is offered to a viewing child when the image of the antagonist is a vampire, troll, or god? Does the very fact that the character is supernatural alter the reading? And is it meant to alter the meaning? At this point, there is no text addressing these questions; although there is an increasing amount of scholarship regarding how the various supernatural characters (and monstrous children) reflect various adult issues when they appear within film and television. I think it is perhaps more important to understand what messages are being offered our children through the same, albeit simplified, medium of pictorial texts which offer a sanctioned teaching medium for learning the semiotics which children are praised for interpreting. This book is meant to begin the exploration of what cultural norms and morals are being offered our children in images via this medium since picture books and early readers are not just sanctioned, but encouraged.

For this collection, papers from any discipline are welcome. Focus is, however, exclusively on supernatural figures in children’s picture books and early readers. (The only exclusions are aliens, and magical entities such as talking trees, talking owls, etc.) Issues which might be explored by contributors include (but are not limited to):

* The primary purpose of the supernatural character[s] within a specific text, or series, and what it/they are teaching children
* The use of a supernatural character as harmless entertainment (is there really a picture book which doesn’t offer a moral of some sort?)
* The use of a ghost, vampire, werewolf, or other supernatural, as a stand-in for diversity. Do they work as a stand in? Why or why not? (Why not just depict the human “other?”)
* The way in which a specific moral is being offered through the use of a supernatural character
* The way the supernatural character will potentially impact the child’s view of their world
* Comparative discussion regarding how the morals in early monster tales (such as Grimm’s) are now being revised to offer a differing moral – and how/why the changes reflect new norms

Questions to get you thinking:

* Why are so many supernatural characters green?
* Are some supernatural characters depicted as “bad” while others are “good?”
* Does the color scheme used impact the child’s reading of the characters?
* In what way does adult encouragement regarding “reading” the text impact the child’s reading of the supernatural character[s]?
* Is there a different reading/interpretation of the text offered the child when the supernatural being is the protagonist or the antagonist?

Please submit a 300 word abstract and a brief scholarly bio to Leslie Ormandy at monstrousmessengers@gmail.com. The closing date for submissions is June 10, 2015. Notice of acceptance will follow by June 25, 2015 (and will include a listing of helpful readings). Complete 7000 – 8000 word essays are to be submitted by December 10, 2015 in MLA format with US spelling and punctuation.

CFP 2nd call for submissions: "The Paranormal and Popular Culture" (9/1/15)

2nd call for submissions: "The Paranormal and Popular Culture"
JUN 03 2015
http://www.theofantastique.com/2015/06/03/2nd-call-for-submissions-the-paranormal-and-popular-culture/

Previously, a call for submissions was issued for a proposed volume, but we need a few more good abstracts to complete the volume.

With this second call for submissions we are are looking for proposals for essays to be included in an edited volume entitled The Paranormal and Popular Culture. Academic writers and independent scholars are invited to submit proposals spanning the wide range of topics on pop culture and the paranormal, and their connection to religion, including reflections on the full panoply of extraordinary beings (e.g. vampires, zombies, demons, ghosts, mutants, cyborgs, cryptoids, etc.) and extraordinary phenomena (e.g. psychic abilities, channeling, spontaneous combustion, magic, necromancy, etc.), as well as theoretical and/or historical reflections on supernaturalism and the paranormal, Fortean approaches to religion in popular culture.

Those interested in being considered as contributors should send an abstract to the co-editors, Darryl Caterine (cateridv@lemoyne.edu) and John Morehead (johnwmorehead@msn.com) by September 1. Our timeline is as follows: write up a proposal in September and pitch it to various publishers. Assuming we receive a timely and positive response from one or more of them, the tentative deadline for the essays would be February 2017.

CFP: Complicated Masculinities in Popular Culture (6/28/15)

Of potential interest:

CFP: Complicated Masculinities in Popular Culture

http://pcaaca.org/2015/05/29/cfp-edited-collection-complicated-masculinities-28-jun-2015/

Recent scholarship supports the notion that contemporary American masculinity is complex and problematic. Many scholarly projects seem to reflect a “crisis” perspective and focus on the negative or limiting aspects of changing masculinities. In contrast, this edited collection will focus on the possibilities of multiple, fluid, complex, twenty-first-century masculinities.

Casting a wide net that considers all forms of popular media from film to video games, the collection will consider the ways that categories of race, class, ethnicity, sexuality, gender, as well as the natural and supernatural, affect conceptualizations of male identities. All of these patterns of representation are shaped in response to our global political climate: threats of terrorism, the New Jim Crow, pandemic fears, violence and crime, and women’s increased financial and political empowerment. These elements all affect and complicate depictions of masculinities, but they also open up new possibilities in terms of the ways that they can be represented, constructed, and revised. The ever-evolving world of new media and technology offers new ways of conceptualizing masculinities. People now have more options available for constructing a variety of identities, and a variety of venues open for the performance of them.

Popular culture: contemporary representations of masculinity, preference will be given to critical discussions of twenty-first-century popular culture (2000-2015).

Theoretical Concepts

● Masculinities and Men’s Studies

● Feminisms

● Media Studies

● Gender Studies

● Intersectionality

● Female Masculinities

● Comparative masculinities

● New men/masculinities

● Evolution/Devolution of masculinity

Subjects

● Utopia/Dystopia

● Anti-heroes/Villains

● Post-Apocalyptic

● Monsters/vampires

● Politics/Politicians and the 24-Hour News Cycle

● Performers/Musicians

● Hip Hop Culture

● Professional Sports and Sexuality

● Domestic Violence in the Media

● Sexual Scandals

● Superheroes/Villains

Possible texts

● Anime

● Superhero films

● Television (ie: Breaking Bad, Game of Thrones, Mad Men,

Supernatural.

● Reality TV (ie: Duck Dynasty, Turtle Man)

● Police Procedural Shows (CSI)

● Films (Bromances, Chick Flicks, Buddy Films)

● Advertising

● Music/Performers

● Video Games (Call of Duty, Grand Theft Auto, MMOs, Sports

games)

● Sports (Fantasy Sports, Scandals)

● Internet (Avatars, Online Dating, Social medias)

Other ideas? Please query the editors!

Dr. Merry G. Perry (mperry@wcupa.edu) and

Dr. Cherise A. Pollard (cpollard@wcupa.edu)

West Chester University

Dept. of English, Main Hall

700 High Street

West Chester, PA 19382

Please send the following documents to complicatedmasc@gmail.com by June 28, 2015.

1. A one-page abstract (about 500 words) of your proposed chapter

2. A complete curriculum vita

The editors will notify authors of their abstract’s acceptance status by July 16, 2015.

Several presses have expressed interest in this collection.

Full chapter submissions will be original scholarly work of approximately 6,000-8,000 words in length and be due by Oct. 1, 2015.

CFP Fan Phenomena: The Twilight Saga (6/15/15)

CFP: Fan Phenomena: The Twilight Saga
http://fanstudies.org/2015/05/19/cfp-fan-phenomena-the-twilight-saga/

The UK publisher Intellect is now seeking chapters for Fan Phenomena: The Twilight Saga, the next edition in its Fan Phenomena book series.

Fan Phenomena: The Twilight Saga will be an edited collection of essays about the forces that contributed to the global popularity and commercial success of the books, films and graphic novels of The Twilight Saga. Chapters will explore Twilight’s unique appeal to fans as well as its impact on people, literature, film, music, television and social issues. Suggested topics include but are not limited to the following areas:

Creative Legacy:
– The Twilight series reignited the popularity of vampire and werewolf lore worldwide, prompting numerous books, television shows and movies. Explore Twilight’s creative and commercial impact on these industries.
– Explore the role of music in both Twilight’s appeal and success, considering the groups and songs that inspired the author or were commissioned for the movies. What lasting impact did Twilight have on its musicians and the world of music?
– Was there something unique about Twilight or its fandom that enabled the massive success of its fan fiction (i.e. Fifty Shades of Grey) plus the follow-on Storytellers project? What is Twilight’s artistic legacy?

Social Impact:
– Why did Twilight’s appeal cross generations, unexpectedly embracing “Twilight Moms” as well as teens? What was the impact of this disparate fandom on Twilight’s commercial success and social acceptance? Was Twilight’s demographic diversity unique among fandoms?
– Several conservative family values, such as the soul, redemption, abstinence, marriage, family and preserving life, laced the Twilight series. How did the books’ messages influence the development of young readers’ moral principles and the popularity of the story?
– Explore Stephenie Meyer’s presentation of the strong female and its contribution to Twilight’s uniqueness, popularity, success and social impact.

Media and Marketing Explosion:
– Explore the factors that sparked Twilight’s explosive fame and pervasive media presence around the world.
– Explore Twilight fans’ stratification of Team Edward vs. Team Jacob. What was its impact on the fandom, the franchise’s success and commercial merchandising?
– Was the Kristin Stewart and Robert Pattinson off-screen romance a genuinely serendipitous coincidence or a carefully crafted pairing? What was its impact on the fandom, including the fans’ romantic dedication to the story during the movies’ releases and post-production dissolution of fan conventions?

The Fan Phenomena series explores the greatest popular culture stories of our time. The collection already includes 16 iconic titles, including Star Wars, Star Trek, Sherlock Holmes, Batman, Lord of the Rings, Dr. Who, James Bond, Harry Potter, The Hunger Games and Supernatural. The Twilight Saga is a perfect addition to this collection. Since the release of the first Twilight novel in 2005, The Twilight Saga has generated billions of dollars in book and franchise sales1. Ten years later, the fandom’s loyal devotion to the story led to the launch of the Twilight Storytellers project, a contest in which spin-off films based on Twilight fan fiction will ultimately be judged by Twilight fans. The Twilight Saga’s enduring popularity is truly a unique and global phenomenon that demands attention, examination and celebration within the Fan Phenomena series.

This targeted anthology is intended to be an enlightening and fun addition to Twilight fans’ collections, as well as a resource for universities. As such, papers should be written for a broad audience of academics and fans. Final chapters will be 3000 – 3500 words. Questions, abstracts (maximum 400 words) and author biographies should be directed to Laurena Aker at LSAker@att.net by June 15, 2015. Final paper submissions will be due Oct. 1, 2015. Scheduled publication date is 4th quarter 2016.

Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/FanPhenomenaTwilight
Website: https://sites.google.com/site/fanphenomenathetwilightsaga/home