[ecrea] cfp: Transformative Works and Fan Activism

>CALL FOR PAPERS
>Web link= 
>http://journal.transformativeworks.org/index.php/twc/announcement/view/16
>
>Special issue=3A Transformative Works and Fan Activism (March 2012)
>
>Transformative Works and Fan Activism
>
>
>March 2012
>
>
>Edited by Henry Jenkins and Sangita Shresthova=2C University of Southern=
>  California
>
>How might research on fandom and participatory culture inform our unders=
>tanding of citizenship and activism=3F Cultural theorists have long spec=
>ulated about how our fantasy lives and cultural engagements might inspir=
>e broader forms of public participation=2E In his book Understanding Pop=
>ular Culture=2C for example=2C John Fiske describes one potential route =
>which might lead a young woman from fannish interest in Madonna towards =
>the resources=2C skills=2C and identities she needs to contribute to soc=
>ial change=2E Fan studies have long located localized resistances within=
>  the cultural productions and practices associated with fandom=2C lookin=
>g at how fan fiction=2C say=2C might lead to new understandings of gende=
>r=2C sexuality=2C and race=2E Yet there has been less work that examines=
>  how these imaginative practices=2C at times facilitated by digital medi=
>a=2C might lead to an enhanced sense of agency or a new vision of social=
>  change=2C or how the skills developed through fandom might be mobilized=
>  for getting =
>
>people out to vote=2C protesting public policies=2C or encouraging contr=
>ibutions and volunteerism around emergency situations=2E =
>
>
>In Convergence Culture=2C Henry Jenkins describes how popular culture=2C=
>  and more broadly participatory culture=2C can function as a civic playg=
>round=2C where lower stakes allow for a greater diversity of opinions th=
>an tolerated in political arenas=2E Jenkins argues=2C =22One way that po=
>pular culture can enable a more engaged citizenry is by allowing people =
>to play with power on a microlevel=2E=2E=2EPopular culture may be prepar=
>ing the way for a more meaningful public culture=2E=22 Building on these=
>  observations=2C we begin with the premise that participatory culture=2C=
>  like popular culture=2C encourages active participation=2C lively discu=
>ssion=2C and even mobilization around particular topics and issues=2C le=
>ading to civic engagement=2E Clearly=2C a fan group online is apt to be =
>far more diverse in its perspectives than a group defined around=2C say=2C=
>  a political candidate or a social issue=2E This is not to suggest that =
>fan communities do not form firm consensus perspectives that block some =
>other ideas from being he
>ard=2C but they form them around different axes=2C such as desired sets =
>of romantic partnerships between characters=2C which may or may not refl=
>ect ideological schisms=2E Our understanding of these synergies between =
>participatory culture and civic participation creates many possible inte=
>rsections with grassroots activism=2E
>
>We seek contributions premised on a dynamic understanding of citizenship=
>  that will help us understand how participatory culture interactions enc=
>ourage people to create=2C discuss=2C and organize as a way of engaging =
>with specific civic issues and events=2C and whether (or how) these inte=
>ractions may lead to new forms of social organizing and action=2E Resear=
>chers have long noted that people who participate in after-school progra=
>ms or who contribute to the arts are more likely to become involved in o=
>ther civic activities=3B we are just starting to understand whether or n=
>ot interest-driven activities=2C such as fandom=2C which typically occur=
>  outside of formal educational settings=2C may have a similar impact on =
>individual trajectories toward public participation=2E A growing number =
>of groups=2C such as the Harry Potter Alliance=2C and specific campaigns=
>=2C such as Racebending=2C are seeking to mobilize fans as potential pol=
>itical agents=2E In the process=2C these groups may support the developm=
>ent of long
>-term civic identities as well as the applied skills of fan activism=2C =
>such as letter-writing campaigns to keep programs on the air=2E Both are=
>  likely to be useful for future civic and movement mobilization=2E
>
>This special issue emerges from work being done by the Participatory Cul=
>ture and Civic Engagement Project (http=3A//sites=2Egoogle=2Ecom/site/pa=
>rticipatorydemocracyproject/) at the University of Southern California (=
>Henry Jenkins=2C Principal Investigator)=2E
>
>We seek articles and other work that explores the continuities between o=
>nline participatory culture and civic engagement=2C including=2C but not=
>  limited to=3A
>
>Case studies of U=2ES=2E-based and international fan communities who hav=
>e moved toward civic engagement (including efforts to protect or promote=
>  the fandom=2C charity efforts=2C and direct forms of political activism=
>)=2E
>Examples of how practices from fandom and participatory culture are info=
>rming more traditional activist organizations and political debates=2E
>Examinations of how fan discussions flow into more overtly political con=
>versations=2C with constructive or destructive consequences=2E
>Interdisciplinary explorations of ways in which participatory cultures m=
>ay encourage some forms of civic engagement=2C as well as the possible l=
>imitations of such engagement=2E
>Considerations of how work in fan studies might contribute to ongoing di=
>scussions in cultural studies about the relationship between audiences a=
>nd publics=2C consumers=2C and citizens=2E
>Theoretical discussion relevant to the trajectories that exist between p=
>articipatory culture and civic engagement=2E
>Reflections on how a focus on =22cultural citizenship=22 might challenge=
>  more traditional definitions of civic engagement=2E
>Analyses of digital media participatory practices in the context of civi=
>c engagement=2E
>Methodological discussions of how we might study the shifting relationsh=
>ip between participatory culture and public engagement=2E
>Investigations of how participatory modes of civic engagement intersect =
>with questions of race=2C ethnicity=2C gender=2C sexuality=2C and class=2E=
>
>Mappings of the dynamics of the local and mediated in communities that f=
>orm around participatory culture in the context of new media technologie=
>s=2E
>Discussions of how fiction and fantasy can captivate us on an emotional =
>level=2C providing a narrative structure that can motivate us to seek ch=
>ange in the real world=2E
>Writing from fans=2C independent researchers=2C community leaders=2C and=
>  practitioners is actively encouraged=2E We are especially interested in=
>  case studies that deal with these fan practices outside of the United S=
>tates=2E
>Submission guidelines
>
>TWC accommodates academic articles of varying scope as well as other for=
>ms that embrace the technical possibilities of the Web and test the limi=
>ts of the genre of academic writing=2E Contributors are encouraged to in=
>clude embedded links=2C images=2C and videos in their articles or to pro=
>pose submissions in alternative formats that might comprise interviews=2C=
>  collaborations=2C or video/multimedia works=2E We are also seeking revi=
>ews of relevant books=2C events=2C courses=2C platforms=2C or projects=2E=
>  =
>
>
>Theory=3A Often interdisciplinary essays with a conceptual focus and a t=
>heoretical frame that offer expansive interventions in the field=2E Peer=
>  review=2E Length=3A 5=2C000=968=2C000 words plus a 100=96250-word abstr=
>act=2E =
>
>
>Praxis=3A Analyses of particular cases that may apply a specific theory =
>or framework to an artifact=3B explicate fan practice or formations=3B o=
>r perform a detailed reading of a text=2E Peer review=2E Length=3A 4=2C0=
>00=967=2C000 words plus a 100=96250-word abstract=2E =
>
>
>Symposium=3A Short pieces that provide insight into current developments=
>  and debates=2E Editorial review=2E Length=3A 1=2C500=962=2C500 words=2E=
>  =
>
>
>Submissions are accepted online only=2E Please visit TWC=27s Web site (h=
>ttp=3A//journal=2Etransformativeworks=2Eorg/) for complete submission gu=
>idelines=2C or e-mail the TWC Editor (editor AT transformativeworks=2Eor=
>g)=2E
>Contact
>
>You are encouraged to contact the guest editors with advance inquiries o=
>r proposals=3A
>
>Henry Jenkins=2C hjenkins AT usc=2Eedu
>
>Sangita Shresthova=2C sangita=2Eshresthova AT usc=2Eedu
>Due dates
>
>Contributions for blind peer review (Theory and Praxis essays) are due b=
>y April 1=2C 2011=2E Contributions that undergo editorial review (Sympos=
>ium=2C Interview=2C Review) are due by May 1=2C 2011=2E
>
>
>Transformative Works and Cultures (TWC)=2C ISSN 1941-2258=2C is an onlin=
>e-only Gold Open Access publication of the nonprofit Organization for Tr=
>ansformative Works copyrighted under a Creative Commons Attribution-Nonc=
>ommercial 3=2E0 Unported License=2E Contact the Editor with questions=2E=
>
>
>
>Zhan Li
>USC PhD Student (Organizational Communication)
>Research Manager=2C USC Annenberg Scenario Lab
>http=3A//www=2Euscscenariolab=2Ecom
>Research Assistant for Prof=2E Henry Jenkins
>Teaching Assistant for Prof=2E Laura Portwood-Stacer
>zhanli=40usc=2Eedu  +1 (213) 590-4958

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Nico Carpentier (Phd)
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Vrije Universiteit Brussel - Free University of Brussels
Centre for Studies on Media and Culture (CeMeSO)
Pleinlaan 2 - B-1050 Brussels - Belgium
T: ++ 32 (0)2-629.18.56
F: ++ 32 (0)2-629.36.84
Office: 5B.401a
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