[ecrea] CFP: Game of Thrones ­ An International Conference

*6-8 September 2017*

**

*University of Hertfordshire, School of Creative Arts, College Lane, 
Hatfield, Hertfordshire, **AL10 9AB***

**

*Deadline for proposals: 30 March 2017*

*Email: **(GOTconf2017 /at/ herts.ac.uk)* <mailto:(GOTconf2017 /at/ herts.ac.uk)>**

**

*Keynote speakers:*

Rikke Schubart, Associate Professor, Institute for the Study of Culture, 
University of Southern Denmark

Anne Gjelsvik, Professor of Film Studies at Department of Art and Medias 
Studies, NTNU, Norway

Martin Barker, Emeritus Professor, Aberystwyth University

Widely rumoured to be moving into its final season, HBO’s /Game of 
Thrones /(2011- ) has enjoyed 6 years of global popularity, attracting 
international scholarly and critical attention and reaching 
record-breaking audiences.  Famously adapted from George R.R. Martin’s 
book series, ‘A Song of Ice and Fire’, HBO’s medieval fantasy world 
spans two continents, Westeros and Essos, and focuses on the power 
struggles between competing dynasties for possession of the Iron Throne 
and ultimate power over the Seven Kingdoms.  It is not only political 
intrigue that threatens the inhabitants of this world, however, as 
dragons, witches, giants and whitewalkers also stalk its shores.

Not just a simple fantasy series, /Game of Thrones/ has been likened to 
‘/The Sopranos/ in Middle-Earth 
<http://nymag.com/arts/books/features/47040/>’ by showrunner David 
Benioff and is notorious for its controversial storylines, particularly 
those centred on its women. Rape, incest and power brokering through 
marriage reveal a patriarchal society in which political intrigue is not 
always gendered but inevitably leads to uneasy alliances between 
families - both friend and foe – and violent ends for many. /Game of 
Thrones/ continues to enrage and enthral a global audience unsure if the 
series is misogynist, feminist or anti-feminist; or an uncomfortable 
blend of all three.

Populated by a large ensemble cast (reputedly the largest on television 
today), /Game of Thrones/ is filmed in many global locations: Belfast to 
Morrocco and Dubrovnik to Iceland, the series//has impacted upon the 
tourist economies as well as providing employment for a vast array of 
‘behind-the scenes’ personnel from post production and special effects 
designers through to technicians, production designers, directors and 
producers to camera operators, editors and carpenters (to name but a 
few).  The series has also spawned a vast merchandising enterprise from 
models to games and comics to spin-off books.  In short, the production 
of /Game of Thrones/ has played a large part in the creative industries 
since 2010 through the many employment opportunities it has offered 
transnationally.

This international conference invites proposals on a wide range of 
subjects.  While there have been several significant studies on the 
seriesand its adaptation from literature to television as well as its 
multimedia engagements, most notably: Gjelsvik, Anne & Schubart, Rikke 
(Eds.) /Women of Ice and Fire: Gender/, /Game of Thrones, and Multiple 
Media Engagements/, Bloomsbury, 2016; Battis, Jes and Johnston, Susan 
(Eds.), /Mastering the Game of Thrones:  Essays on George R. R. Martin’s 
A Song of Ice and Fire/, McFarland, 2015 and Lozano Delmar, Javier; Raya 
Bravo, Irene; López Rodríguez, Francisco Javier (Eds.), /Reyes, Espadas, 
Cuervos Y Dragones. Estudio Del Fenómeno Televisivo Juego De Tronos/. 
Madrid, Fragua. Colección Fragua Comunicación, 2013 (to name but three). 
This conference aims to widen the scope to include contributions from 
all aspects of the creative industries.   We hope this conference will 
offer an opportunity to open up the discussion, make links between 
practitioners and theorists, industry personnel and critics as well as 
key creative personnel who have worked on the series.

Short abstracts (250 words + bio) are invited on any /Game of Thrones/ 
related subject by *30 March 2017*.  Varied presentation styles are 
encouraged, including formal papers (20 mins), fully formed panels, 
poster and digital presentations as well as roundtable discussions, 
short/lightning presentations (5 mins) and PechaKucha (20X20). Proposals 
for fully formed sessions will also be considered.  All abstracts and 
proposals will be peer-reviewed and a response will be sent by *31 May 
2017*.

Please email all proposals to Kim Akass at (GOTconf2017 /at/ herts.ac.uk) 
<mailto:(GOTconf2017 /at/ herts.ac.uk)>

Keynotes will be announced in the near future and publishing 
opportunities are currently being sought.



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