[Commlist] CFP: Between fiction and society. Imagination and world building in the aftermath of a global pandemic

CFP: Between fiction and society. Imagination and world building in the 
aftermath of a global pandemic



Call for papers for an international conference on speculative fiction, 
science fiction, and fantasy fiction to be held in Milan, Italy, on 
12-14 October 2022. The conference is organised and hosted by IULM 
University of Milan, in collaboration with the Complutense University of 
Madrid and the HISTOPIA research group.

Let’s take back the future!

Fields of interest: Literature, Cinema, Tv Series, Comics, Games/Video 
games, New Media, Cultural History.

For the past two years, we have been living in an alienating reality 
reminiscent of the dystopian narratives of several works of speculative 
fiction, due to a global pandemic. And in addition to Covid-19, we are 
currently facing a barrage of related problems, including the spread of 
disinformation and conspiracy theories, anti-scientism, growing 
environmental risks, the introduction of repressive policies, the 
restriction of civil and human rights in several countries around the 
globe, international crises, and the very possibility of a new world 
conflict. Traditionally, popular culture has been instrumental in 
providing tools to make sense of an increasingly complex situation. 
Moreover, it introduces the very possibility of resistance because even 
the darkest hour in the darkest story carries an instigation to 
mobilise, fight back, and reject the status quo. After all, as Edoardo 
Galeano argued, “utopia is on the horizon. I move two steps closer; it 
moves two steps further away. I walk another ten steps and the horizon 
runs ten steps further away. As much as I may walk, I'll never reach it. 
So what's the point of utopia? The point is this: to keep walking”.
"Between fiction and society. Imagination and world building in the 
aftermath of a global pandemic" urges a debate over 
speculative/science/fantasy fictions across different media, 
highlighting their relationships to history, society and to the 
contingent moment. Moreover, it encourages us to pay close attention to 
the influence that both utopian and dystopian narratives exert on 
everyday life, as they provide possible frameworks to rethink the 
current conditions and imagine alternatives.
How do novels, short stories, movies, TV series, comics, and video games 
imagine the apocalypse and what kind of scenarios do they envision? How 
do utopia and dystopia shape our culture and collective imagination? How 
do speculative/science/fantasy narratives change in times of global 
crisis? These are just some of the questions that this international 
conference, organised in the context of the "electricdreams 
International Film Festival" ("sognielettrici - Festival 
dell’immaginario fantastico e di fantascienza"), will try to answer.

Proposals may address, but are not limited to, the following topics:

- Pandemic, sci-fi, and history:  how to deal with diseases in the 
collective imagination;
- Utopia/Dystopia, popular culture and society: how speculative fiction 
reflects on reality and history;
- Apocalypse and post-apocalypse: stories, fears, and solutions;
- Critiques of established/Western canons;
- Gender politics, queerness, ethnicity, disability, nationality, 
religious minorities, immigrants/refugees: representation of otherness 
in speculative fiction;
- Post-colonial and neo-colonial perspectives;
- Popular culture as a vehicle of social transformation;
- Form of dissent, reform, rebellion, and conformity in the field;
- Breaching boundaries in speculative fiction (language or otherwise).

The working language of the conference is English. The Conference will 
be held in presence or in mixed-mode, according to the Covid situation. 
We welcome proposals from researchers at all stages of development. 
Please submit abstracts (maximum 300 words) for 20-minute papers, 
together with a short biography (maximum 100 words), and affiliation 
information to (electricdreams.conference /at/ gmail.com) 
<mailto:(electricdreams.conference /at/ gmail.com)> by May 22nd 2022. We also 
welcome proposals for joint panels of three papers: please include a 
brief rationale for the panel along with an abstract and short bio for 
each presenter.

Organised by:
- IULM University of Milan
In collaboration with:
- Complutense University of Madrid, Faculty of Political Sciences and 
Sociology, Department of Political History, Theories & Geography
- HISTOPIA research group

Important Dates:
Deadline for abstract submission: May 22nd, 2022
Notification of acceptance: May 31st, 2022
Deadline for participant confirmation: June 9th, 2022
The international conference will take place on 12-14 October 2022 at 
IULM University in Milano (Italy), during “sognielettrici / 
electricdreams International Film Festival” (11-15 October 2022).

Conference fee: 35€

Scientific Committee:
Matteo Bittanti
Elisabetta Di Minico
Stefano Locati
Francisco José Martínez Mesa
Juan Pro

Contact Info: Elisabetta Di Minico ((elidimin /at/ ucm.es) 
<mailto:(elidimin /at/ ucm.es)>) and Stefano Locati ((stefano.locati /at/ iulm.it) 
<mailto:(stefano.locati /at/ iulm.it)>)
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