Call for Book Proposals: East Asian Popular Culture Book Series _Palgrave Macmillan Publishing House

 

Series Editors: Yasue Kuwahara, Northern Kentucky University, USA, John A. Lent, Temple University, USA

Publisher: Palgrave Macmillan

Series Description: Launched in 2014, the East Asian Popular Culture Series focuses on the study of popular culture in East Asia (referring to China, Hong Kong, Japan, Mongolia, North Korea, South Korea, and Taiwan) to meet a growing interest in the subject among students as well as scholars of various disciplines. The series examines cultural production in East Asian countries, both individually and collectively, as its popularity extends beyond the region. It continues the scholarly discourse on the recent prominence of East Asian popular culture as well as the give and take between Eastern and Western cultures.  

Visit the Series page: http://www.palgrave.com/us/series/14958.

The series welcomes submissions of book proposals and manuscripts for consideration in English by both established scholars and early-career researchers.  Please send inquiries and proposals to the series editor, Yasue Kuwahara (kuwahara@nku.edu).

Contact Email

kuwahara@nku.edu

URL: http://www.palgrave.com/us/series/14958

DiGRA India Conference 2023 (online): #Love and #Games

 Love in/and/for Games

Loving a game can lead to formation of gaming communities, and game communities can later become sites where love can be found and at times love for games can be lost. One can also sit back and play to complete a love story as a side quest of a game. One could also declare one’s love for games by establishing an academic discipline. Each case is a specific and possibly conflicting manifestation/articulation of love for/in/and games. While it is easy to reach a consensus that we all love games, the question ‘why do we love games?’ is politically charged and a heavily contested one. Sara Ahmed has argued that even ‘hate groups’ operate in the name of love, as we saw in the online harassment campaign known as Gamergate, where hatred, toxicity and violence were packaged as “love for games”. However, the women at the receiving end were subjected to violence, harassment and hatred not because they hated games but because their love for games did not coincide with attitudes of white male right-wing gamers. Often when we think of love and games, it seems that the conflict is not between game haters and game lovers, rather it is always between various constructed variations of the umbrella phrase love for games. In all this the game hater appears as a straw(o)man figure, who is almost like a phantom friend to gamers, designers, scholars, who they regularly speak of and talk to, who however, does not exist or perhaps is extremely difficult to find or maybe hides in plain sight. Perhaps, the answer to the question ‘why do we love games?’ involves a necessary speculation on how we love games and what languages, modes and mediums do we invoke to express our love for games.

Love, games and play has been a topic of interest for game studies for quite some time. In 2008 Jessica Enevold proposed a categorization model for Game-Love, in 2012 Jane Pinckard edited a special issue for the journal Well Played on the subject of romance in games, ‘Game Love: Essays on Play and Affection’ was published in 2014, in 2016 another volume ‘Digital Love: Romance and Sexuality in Games’ edited by Heidi McDonald was published. The current one day mini-conference is an effort in the same direction, in that, it wants to understand the ways in which games operate as a source of our feelings and how we are shaped by games. The challenge is to move beyond default expressions such as I love games because they are fun or I love games because they make me happy or I love games because they teach X (valid as these statements are), and question what is this fun/happiness/pedagogy that makes one a lover of games. 

We welcome abstracts, artistic musings, loveletters, testimonials and posters in line with the conference theme. Topics may include but not be restricted to the following: 

• #Love, addiction, and games
• Devotion, love and games
• Love, poetics and gameplay
• Queering play and politics of love 
• Algorithmic intimacy
• Love, games, and fandom
• Toxicity and obsession for games
• Game studies and ludophilia
• Posthuman love and games
• Game-mechanics of love
• Love for retro games
• Consumerism and game-love
• Ethics of care and love in digital games
• Play as love

Important Dates:

Submission of Abstracts: 15th November, 2023

Intimation of Accepted Abstracts: 23rd November, 2023

Submission of Full-Length papers: 7th December, 2023

Date of the Conference: 9th December, 2023

Guidelines for Abstract and Paper Submission:

We invite abstracts of less than 300 words (and five keywords that will help us determine the focus area) along with a short bio-note of 100 words to be sent via email to digraindiaconference@gmail.com by 15th November, 2023. Full-length papers of accepted abstracts, of 4500-6000 words, in citation style MLA 9th Edition, should reach the same on or before 7th December, 2023.

In accordance with our theme, we have also curated a list of provocations (see link) to act as springboards for engaging with the area of interest. These provocations are to aid you in your creative processes. They do not restrict our preferred objects of study.

Contact Email

digraindiaconference@gmail.com

URL

https://gamestudiesindiaadda.files.wordpress.com/2023/10/digra-india-2023-confe…

Call for Papers/Voices/Participation: Approaching Academia: A Conference on Class and Culture -2024

 

CLASS CON 2024 Call for Papers/Voices/Participation

March 15th and 16th, Bowling Green State University, Jerome Library (and online)

Inspired by Ray Browne, the founder of Popular Culture Studies at BGSU, this conference seeks to give “education a broader base and greater richness” through the exploration of why and how popular culture and class are interconnected. A scholar and teacher who saw popular culture as a tool to bring together the working-class students and the elitism of academia to create a new curriculum, Browne’s legacy of inclusion and effecting change is at the heart of this year’s Class Con.

As class studies are often niche, invisible, or non-existent within many cultural studies programs, we hope to draw attention to the discipline and the broader need for class consciousness. By understanding and breaking down the structures and systems that uphold our modern class structure, this conference aims to make meaningful change both in and outside of the academic ivory tower. Specifically, with this conference we hope to brainstorm, workshop, and develop a pedagogic approach to bringing class studies into the classroom while also giving a voice to the students most impacted by economic uncertainties.

As a public university for the public good, Bowling Green State University will host an academic conference that has the potential to create good for the public to whom we are committed. This conference aims to facilitate dialog surrounding the issues of class in American culture, both in traditional academic presentations as well as in workshops, discussions, and artistic representations (written, spoken, visual, performance, etc.).

The key areas of the conference include (but are not limited to) the following:

• Pedagogy and Class Studies

• Class Representations in Popular Culture

• Class Issues in Academia

• Labor Unions in Contemporary Culture

• Social Outreach and Activism

  Interested parties and individuals are encouraged to submit their proposals (abstract of about 500 words) by December 1st to classcon@bgsu.edu. No cost to submit. Free for both in-person and online attendance.

Deadline To Submit December 1st

Contact Information

John King, Bowling Green State University, School of Critical and Cultural Studies

Contact Email

classcon@bgsu.edu

URL

https://www.bgsu.edu/arts-and-sciences/cultural-and-critical-studies/popular-cu…

Call for Papers: #Gender #Studies Area of the #Popular #Culture #Association-March 27-30, 2024-#Chicago, #Illinois.

 The Gender Studies area of the Popular Culture Association explores a broad range of intersections between gender and popular culture, whether within popular culture texts or practices.

The Gender Studies area is now considering proposals for papers, panels, and/or roundtables for the 2024 annual conference. Deadline for proposals is November 30, 2023. Visit https://pcaaca.org/page/submissionguidelines for submission instructions. The conference will be March 27-30, 2024, in Chicago, Illinois.

Topics could include, but are not limited to, the representation of gender identity and gender expression within popular culture; advertising appeals that go beyond the gender binary; the potential  of popular culture to educate audiences about diversity, equity, and inclusion; the role of gender in athletics; and popular culture responses to recently passed or proposed legislation related to reproductive rights, drag performances, and teaching about gender identity. Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods are welcome from disciplinary and interdisciplinary approaches.

Proposals for paper presentations require a 150-200 word abstract.

For a proposed panel (4 papers on a common theme or topic), individual presenters should submit an abstract of 150-200 words for their own paper, and the panel chair should contact Dr. O’Reilly to assemble the papers into a panel.

For a proposed roundtable (assembled conversation around a topic without formal, prepared presentations), please contact Dr. O’Reilly with your proposed topic.

Individuals must be current, paid members to submit to the conference.  

Contact Information

Julie D. O’Reilly

Heidelberg University

310 E. Market St.

Tiffin, OH 44883

419.448.2094

 

Contact Email

joreilly@heidelberg.edu

URL https://pcaaca.org/page/submissionguidelines

Call for Book Chapter Proposals: Chosen, Bestowed, Acquired, Assigned: Names and Naming in Youth Literature (Proposal deadline: July 15, 2023)

 

Edited by I. M. Nick and Anne W. Anderson

    Just as names are among the first and most basic means by which we order and make sense of our world, so too do names in works of literature help readers order and make sense of created worlds. Moreover, names in literature often connote more than they denote. This edited collection will consider how names, depictions of naming practices, and explorations of name theory in youth literature can enrich our understanding of created worlds and, by implication, of our real world. For the purposes of this collection, we draw on the Children’s Literature Association’s conception of literature as “books, films, and other media created for, or adopted by, children and young adults around the world, past, present, and future" (https://www.childlitassn.org).

    Chapters proposed for this volume might address names, naming, and name theory in youth literature of any media and/or modality, from any perspective, and using the analytical tools of any discipline. From the names of places, people, animals, and plants to the monikers of fairies and goblins, cyborgs and droids, any type of name from any time period or from any language is welcome. Please see the American Name Society’s glossary of naming terminology (https://www.americannamesociety.org/names/); this CFP can be viewed on the ANS site, as well. The primary works examined may be fiction or non-fiction. The only subject-matter stipulation for submission is that the primary intended reading audience of the piece(s) of literature investigated must be youth (i.e., children, adolescents, and/or early adults). 

The following is a partial list of possible topics, but we also welcome being surprised by other pertinent suggestions. 

•    Names as chosen, bestowed, acquired, assigned, or self-selected 

• Naming practices, rites, rituals, and regulations and their implications

•    Literary devices or linguistic mechanisms used in creating names and their implications

•    Questions of unnaming and renaming of people, places, and things

•    Questions of names and identity, self-hood, and socio-cultural connection

•    Names as constructions of normal vs. abnormal, good vs. evil, acceptable vs. anathema 

•    Theoretical frameworks for analyzing names in youth literature and media

•    Challenges and strategies for translating names

•    Names of the non-human, inhuman, mechanical, and systemic and their implications

•    Names in galaxies far, far away and in subatomic systems

•    Names as markers of political, ideological, historical controversies

•    Nonsensical names and/or memetic names and their implications

Proposal Submission Process 

•    Abstract proposals (max. 500 words, excluding the title and references) should be sent as a PDF email attachment to Dr. Anne W. Anderson (YouthLit2023@gmail.com).

•    For organizational purposes, the proposals must include “YOUTHLIT2023” in the subject line of the email.

•    All proposals must include an abstract, a title, and a preliminary list of references.

•    The full name(s) of the author(s) and the author(’s’) affiliation(s) must appear in the body of the email. These details should NOT appear in the attached proposal.

•    In the case of multi-authored submissions, one person must be clearly identified as the primary contact. 

•    The DEADLINE for proposal submissions is July 15, 2023. All proposals will be submitted to a double-blind review process. Authors will be notified about acceptance on or before September 15, 2023. 

•    Final chapters (max. 7,000 words, excluding abstracts and references) will be due March 15, 2024.

For further information about this call, please view our website's FAQ page (https://sites.google.com/view/youthlit2023/) or feel free to contact Dr. Anne W. Anderson (YouthLit2023@gmail.com). We look forward to receiving your proposals!

Contact Info: 

I.M. Nick holds a BA (Germanics), BSC (Clinical/Abnormal Psychology), MA (German Linguistics), MSc (Forensic and Investigative Psychology), as well as a PhD and the German “Habilitation” (English Linguistics). Her research areas include forensic linguistics, Holocaust Studies, slavery, and onomastics. She is the President of the Germanic Society for Forensic Linguistics, a past President of the American Name Society, and the current Editor-in-Chief of NAMES.

Anne W. Anderson earned a B.A. in Creative Writing (Eckerd College), an M.A. in Journalism (U. Alabama), and a Ph.D. in Literacy Studies/Education (U. South Florida) as well as a Graduate Certificate in Qualitative Research Methods. Her research areas include critical studies of children's and young adult literature (all media) and developing methods of multi-modal document analysis. She is a member of the Children's Literature Association, is the Allied Conference Coordinator for the American Name Society, and is an independent researcher/scholar.

Contact Email: 

YouthLit2023@gmail.com

URL: 

https://www.americannamesociety.org/call-for-book-chapter-proposals-chosen-bestowed-acquired-assigned-names-and-naming-i…

Call for Book Chapters - Purpose Washing and Woke Capitalism: The Stories Organizations Tell Us

 

Call for Book Chapters

Working title - Purpose Washing and Woke Capitalism: The Stories Organizations Tell Us

Proposed Book Publisher: Springer

Our Editorial team seeks contributors to join us for this edited book with the working title “Purpose Washing and Woke Capitalism: The Stories Organizations Tell Us” . This volume aims to bring together theoretical and practical insights into the workings and vocabulary of purpose washing in organisations. To improve their reputation and achieve a competitive advantage, many organisations have adopted the rhetoric of social justice, diversity, inclusivity, and sustainability in recent years. However, they are unable to bridge the gap between rhetoric and action. This phenomenon has been termed 'purpose washing', and it raises important questions about the role of organizations in society, the ethics of corporate communication, and the potential for social change. It also questions the neoliberal logic of ‘progressive posturing’ by these organizations.

We welcome chapters that critically examine Organizations, including an investigation into their marketing, advertising, corporate structure, recruitment policies, DEI (Diversity, Equity and Inclusion) policies, ESG ( Environmental, Social and Governance) concerns to expand our understanding of green-washing, pink-washing, and white-washing and other areas of Woke capitalism. Through examining organizational case studies and using empirical and theoretical approaches, this volume aims to uncover the ways in which organizations use storytelling to promote their purpose-driven image and engage with contemporary social issues.

Possible audiences for this book include undergraduate and graduate students, especially cross-disciplinary scholars from the area of critical management, media and communication, public policy, political sciences, development studies, cultural studies and psychology. We are looking for papers that provide theoretical and empirical insights on the following (but not limited to) issues.

● Cross-cultural issues and purpose washing: How do cultural context and geography, or other broader social, political and economic issues, impact the push for a purpose-driven image?

● Types of organizations and purpose washing: Comparing and contrasting different kinds of organizations (size, type, structure). For example - between organizations operating in different sectors ( Energy, finance, FMCG etc. ) or organizations with different structures (Start-ups, MNCs, Governmental organizations)

● Storytelling and purpose washing: What effects do businesses' use of storytelling have on the general public's perception, stakeholder participation, and social movements? How do organisations develop and express their purpose-driven image?

● Counter-narratives and purpose washing: How can alternative storytelling approaches like participatory approaches challenge and transform purpose washing and woke capitalism, and what are the opportunities and limitations of these approaches?

● Ethical Issues in purpose washing: What are the ethical concerns associated with purpose washing and woke capitalism, and how can organizations and stakeholders address them?

We welcome contributions from academics and professionals working in a variety of fields, including but not limited to anthropology, management, marketing, sociology, communication and political science. We seek original research papers, theoretical essays and case studies that engage with the issues above and provide insights into the nuanced and dynamic interactions between organisational storytelling, woke capitalism, and purpose-washing.

Submission Guidelines: Authors are invited to submit an extended abstract (500 words) by 30th May 2023 to Shubhda Arora at shubhda.arora.30@gmail.com The abstract should clearly state the research question(s), theoretical and empirical background, methods, and expected contribution(s) to the volume.

Authors whose abstracts are accepted will be invited to submit a full chapter (8,000-10,000 words) by 30th October 2023. All submissions will be subject to a double-blind peer review process.

Timeline:

● Abstract submission deadline: 30th May 2023

● Notification of acceptance: 30th June 2023

● Full chapter submission deadline: 30th November 2023

● Review and revision period: December 2023 to June 2024

● Expected Publication: December 2024

Contact Email: 

shubhda.arora.30@gmail.com

CFP: MUSLIM WOMEN’S POPULAR FICTION INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE – 5-9 SEPTEMBER 2023

 MUSLIM WOMEN’S POPULAR FICTION INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE – 5-9 SEPTEMBER 2023

Muslim Women’s Popular Fiction AHRC Research Network International Conference

Birmingham, UK, 5-9 September 2023

Free to attend for all speakers and attendees.

Keynote speakers

Professor Claire Chambers

Dr Rehana Ahmed

In the twenty-first century, readers, publishers, and booksellers have noted a surge in popularity of genre works written by Muslim women, particularly in the Anglosphere. From the detective novels of Ausma Zehanat Khan to G. Willow Wilson’s fantasy fiction, Ayisha Malik’s romantic fiction to graphic novels by Marjane Satrapi – Muslim women authors are embracing popular fiction forms and genres.

We invite paper proposals for a free international conference on Muslim women’s popular and genre fiction and film across all languages, forms and periods. We aim to bring together researchers to examine the global turn in popular fiction, and the concurrent ‘popular turn’ in Muslim women’s writing and film-making. Focusing on writing by women deemed ‘popular’ rather than ‘literary’, we encourage proposals that engage with under-studied popular and genre texts (including romance, chick lit, detective fiction, Young Adult, fantasy, life writing, and science fiction) from a range of critical disciplinary perspectives.

Indicative topics (not exhaustive):

• Studies of individual authors or works of popular and genre fiction
• Translation of popular and genre works by Muslim authors
• Visual culture (graphic novels, comics, film, TV)
• Digital culture (Instagram, YouTube, BookTok)
• Decoloniality and popular fiction
• Teaching Muslim women’s popular fiction
• Publishing and production

A key aim of the conference is to encourage collaboration between researchers working in similar areas but across languages, disciplines and genres. The conference programme includes time for researchers to meet previously identified and new research partners during structured sessions in which network members can plan for future collaboration. We intend to publish collaborative outputs resulting from the conference in an edited book, Muslim Women’s Popular Fiction, intended for publication in Manchester University Press’ Multicultural Textualities series.

We have allocated funding to help with travel and attendance costs to make the conference as accessible as possible. The conference will be child-friendly, with play spaces available. We are investigating a hybrid option – please indicate in your proposal whether this is an option you would like to consider.

Please send abstracts of 250 words for 20-minute papers, including a short bio for all speakers, to a.burge@bham.ac.uk by 30 April 2023. Acceptances will be sent by the end of April. Panel proposals of three or more papers are also welcome. Please direct all queries to a.burge@bham.ac.uk.

For more information, go to: https://more.bham.ac.uk/mwpf-network/

Funding generously provided by the UK Arts and Humanities Research Council.

Contact Email: 

a.burge@bham.ac.uk

URL: 

https://more.bham.ac.uk/mwpf-network/muslim-womens-popular-fiction-international-conference/