[ecrea] CFP: Superhero Identities Symposium

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*Superhero Identities Symposium*

Venue: Australian Centre for the Moving Image (ACMI) – Melbourne,
Australia – 8-9 December 2016

Keynote Speaker: Professor Henry Jenkins – University of Southern California

It is hard to imagine a time when superheroes have been more pervasive
in popular culture. As one of our most beloved folkloric traditions
these costume-clad adventurers have become a means to negotiate and
articulate identities in response to fictional heroes. Superhero
identities range from those that symbolise a nation, to web communities
that use cosplay to challenge gender roles, and the people of a city
coming together under the banner of a caped crusader. This symposium
will examine the many intersections between superheroes and identity.
 From big screen heroes to lesser-known comic book vigilantes and
real-life costumed heroes, the symposium will include papers that
consider superheroes across all eras and media platforms

We are inviting submissions for individual research papers of 20 minutes
as well as pre-formed panels. Proposal topics might include, but are not
limited to, the following areas:

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*Super-Activism*

One of the central tenets of the superhero story is the transition of
unassuming civilians into costume-clad heroes. This narrative is not
confined to the comic book page as the people of San Francisco
demonstrated when they came together to realise the adventures of
Batkid. Proposals are invited that consider how superheroes have become
icons of activism and community engagement.

*National and Regional Identities*

Comic books are often considered an American form, and the medium’s most
popular character, the superhero, did much to affirm that link with
dozens of star-spangled heroes created during the industry’s Golden Age.
However, the superhero has been reimagined in a range of contexts to
respond to local cultures, politics, and traditions. Papers that
consider how superheroes engage with national and regional identities
are welcome.

*Secret Identities*

The masquerade and imaginative possibilities of superheroes, coupled
with their high concept settings, have allowed these characters to
engage with issues and interests that were often difficult to tackle in
more “grounded” stories. Papers that consider how superheroes address
topics such as gender, sexuality, and ethnicity are invited.

*Audiences, Fans, and Superheroes*

Whether it is t-shirts adorned with a familiar logo or convention
cosplay and fan fiction, superheroes compel participation. We encourage
papers that examine the range of this engagement from casual movie
audiences to avid consumers.

*Supervillains*

The supervillain is often understood as the hero’s dark double. This
symposium welcomes papers that consider the identities**of the
supervillains, and their relationship to the above topics.

The Superhero Identities symposium is organised by the Superheroes & Me
research team – Angela Ndalianis (University of Melbourne), Liam Burke
(Swinburne University of Technology), Elizabeth MacFarlane (University
of Melbourne), Wendy Haslem (University of Melbourne), and Ian Gordon
(National University of Singapore)  – and supported by the Australian
Research Council (ARC) and Australian Centre for the Moving Image (ACMI).

Proposals of 250-300 words for individual presentations or full panels,
as well as any queries, should be sent to (wburke /at/ swin.edu.au)
<mailto:(wburke /at/ swin.edu.au)> by June 24, 2016, along with a 150-word bio.

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