[ecrea] CFP: Convergence Culture, Fandom, and The Expanded Harry Potter Universe

CONVERGENCE CULTURE, FANDOM, AND THE EXPANDED /HARRY POTTER/ UNIVERSE

Amanda Firestone, Leisa A. Clark

contact email: (ConvergencePotter /at/ gmail.com) 
<mailto:(ConvergencePotter /at/ gmail.com)>

In 2006’s /Convergence Culture: Where Old and New Media Collide/, Henry 
Jenkins defines “convergence culture” as “the low of content across 
multiple media platforms, the cooperation between multiple media 
industries, and the migratory behavior of media audiences who will go 
almost anywhere in search of the kinds of entertainment experiences they 
want” (2). In contemporary culture, we are no longer merely passive 
consumers of media: we are participants in the narrative to the point 
where fans often actively influence outcomes and storylines well after a 
primary text has been released. J.K. Rowling’s tendency to continuously 
play with her /Harry Potter/ characters and stories a decade after the 
“final” book of the 7-part series was published is indicative of a 
growing trend towards interactive, convergence storytelling as part of 
the fan experience. Rowling certainly has her supporters and critics, 
and arguably, no one embodies the art of transmedia storytelling quite 
like Rowling. Since the 1997 publication of the first /Harry Potter/ 
novel, the “Potterverse” has seen the addition of nine feature films, 
the creation of the fan-interactive Pottermore© website, the release of 
myriad video games for multiple platforms, the construction of the 
Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Studios, several companion 
books (such as /Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them/), critical 
essays and analyses, and the 2016 debut of the original stage play, 
/Harry Potter and the Cursed Child/.

We invite essays for a collection that explores the topics/themes/ideas 
in the companion works outside of the 7-book original canon /Harry 
Potter/ series. Specifically, we are looking for essays that explore the 
cultural implications of these narratives and the way fans (and critics) 
negotiate these narratives in a post-modern, convergence culture world.

We anticipate that this collection will include 16-20 essays, and as a 
working guide, the essays should be 4000-4500 words. Essays must adhere 
to the most current MLA format.

Submission Guidelines: Please send a 500-word proposal in Word, followed 
by a short bibliography showing the paper's scholarly and theoretical 
context. Please also include a short professional description of yourself.

In addition to submissions from academics taking a scholarly approach to 
the subject, we are also particularly interested in essays that include 
analyses of /The Cursed Child/ from someone who has seen a live 
performance in London, any individuals who currently work or have worked 
at The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, and individuals associated with 
cosplay or active fandom (fan groups, organizations, etc.)

Submission deadline: Jan 1, 2017

Direct inquires and proposals to: (ConvergencePotter /at/ gmail.com) 
<mailto:(ConvergencePotter /at/ gmail.com)>

Editors: Amanda Firestone, Leisa A. Clark


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