[Commlist] The X-Files Companion - Call for Contributions

*/The X-Files/**Companion - Call for Contributions*

Chapter proposals are invited for a proposed edited companion on the 
seminal television series/The X-Files/ (1993-2018, Fox), its movies, 
spin offs (/The Lone Gunmen/, /Millennium/), and surrounding paratextual 
material (books, comics, fan fiction etc).

/The X-Files /became a cultural touchstone of the 1990s, transforming 
from a cult TV show into a pop cultural phenomenon by the end of the 
decade. The series’ themes and stories of mistrust of the government, 
conspiracy, folklore, UFOlogy, faith and spirituality resonated with 
post-Cold War Western society: /X-Files/ ‘mythology’ became a defining 
narrative arc that has influenced many television shows since.  The 
relationship between principle protagonists, Agents Mulder and Scully, 
became a source of fascination for fans (so-called ‘shippers’ that 
longed to see a sexual relationship develop between the characters) and 
the press alike (poring over offscreen rumours about lead actors David 
Duchovny and Gillian Anderson). The show’s prominence converged with 
early widespread use of the Internet, inspiring a proliferation of fan 
sites, while the show itself featured telecommunication enthusiasts, not 
least the underground hackers, The Lone Gunmen. Many of the shows 
slogans have entered the contemporary lexicon, from ‘trust no one’ to ‘I 
want to believe’.

To celebrate the 30^th anniversary of /The X-Files/ in 2023, this 
companion seeks to examine the content and production of the show, its 
reception, its use of legend and folklore, its contemporary resonance in 
politics and society of the twenty-first century, and its impact and 
legacy on film, television, the Internet and beyond. We want the 
companion to examine the show from as many theoretical perspectives as 
possible: critical; historical; political and social, as well as 
examining themes of folklore and legend; identity and representation; 
fandom; audiences; science and technology.

Proposals are sought for 6,000-word chapters. Topics may include, but 
are by no means limited to:

  * Paranoia and conspiracy theories
  * Political histories: Watergate, JFK, The Cold War, the Bush/Clinton 
eras
  * Law and order: /The X-Files /in the Trump era, US politics,
    representation of the FBI
  * Race, gender and sexuality
  * Faith, religion, and spirituality
  * Postcolonialism
  * /The X-Files /and the Internet: hackers, digital spying and
    surveillance
  * Science and Technology of /The X-Files/
  * /X-Files/ mythology, lore and legend
  * Folklore and contemporary legend/in The X-Files/
  * UFOlogy, aliens, flying saucers
  * Belief//and scepticism
  * ‘Monster of the week’
  * Genre (sci-fi, horror, romance) and Intertextuality
  * Production aspects: screenwriting, music, cinematography, direction,
    behind-the-scenes
  * Location: use of space, place and landscape
  * /The X-Files/: a series ahead of its time?
  * Impact and perspectives on contemporary television
  * /X-Files/ movies (/Fight the Future /and /I Want to Believe/)
  * The reboot series (season 10 and 11) and spinoffs (including /The
    Lone Gunmen / and /Millennium/)
  * Iconographic characters: Mulder and Scully, The Cigarette Smoking
    Man, Deep Throat
  * Comics, books, merchandise, pop culture
  * Fandom, cult audiences, fan fiction and ‘shippers’

The expansive companion seeks a unifying vision and so the editors will 
be working closely with authors to theme and craft chapters to ensure a 
consistency across the collection. We want to ensure a diversity of 
disciplinary voices as well as the full coverage of /The X-Files /as a 
cultural phenomenon and of its production contexts.

Abstracts of 250 to 300 words should be sent to *James Fenwick 
((j.fenwick /at/ shu.ac.uk) <mailto:(j.fenwick /at/ shu.ac.uk)>) and Diane Rodgers 
((d.rodgers /at/ shu.ac.uk) <mailto:(d.rodgers /at/ shu.ac.uk)>)* email in the first 
instance, along with a short biography and details of institutional 
affiliation, by *22 January 2021.*


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