[ecrea] CFP: Cinema and populism ("Cinema e Storia" journal)

CALL FOR PAPERS

«Cinema e Storia. Rivista di studi interdisciplinari» — n. 1/2019

*Cinema and populism. Shared forms, images, and genealogies*

edited by Valerio Coladonato & Andrea Sangiovanni

Is it possible to investigate “populism” through cinema? What 
relationships can be established between cinema — as an apparatus that 
produces widespread images and narratives — and those political 
phenomena that can be described through the concept of populism? The 
issue 1/2019 of the journal «Cinema e Storia» will be dedicated to the 
analysis of these exchanges from an international perspective. The 
category of populism is slippery and contradictory, both in common 
parlance and in its historiographic application: here we will adopt an 
extensive definition, partly borrowed from political sciences. We will 
understand as “populist” those political phenomena characterized by 
at least three elements: the imagination of a uniform “people” which 
acts as the moral custodian of sovereignty; the construction of a 
charismatic leader; and contempt towards politics and/or a presumed 
corrupt elite. Given its paramount role in the representation of the 
masses and the orchestration of affect around “extraordinary” 
individuals in the XXth century (e.g. through the creation of the star 
system), cinema can provide tools for the analysis of populisms. This is 
also demonstrated by some recent works that have applied categories 
derived from film studies to the analysis of the communication and 
performance style of a political leader, or to highlight the overlaps 
between the notions of “people” and “audience” in media populisms.

It is therefore possible to investigate the multiple ways in which 
cinema has contributed to the changing relationship (and 
disintermediation) between people and leader — either by reducing 
distances or by prefiguring ruptures between the two. Another 
possibility lies in analyzing how political passions and conflicts are 
represented in populist contexts through cinematic influences. Given 
that the consensus of populist movements depends on a binary split of 
the social field, opposing the people and a corrupt elite and obscuring 
all intermediary positions, what narrative formulas and symbolic 
elements facilitate the construction of such imagery?

Taking into account the already mentioned ambiguity and 
indeterminateness of the concept of populism, contributors will be 
invited to refer to how this notion has been theorized in political 
sciences, highlighting both its efficacy and its limits in relation to 
their case studies. It will be necessary to distinguish populism from 
other categories and historical forms of political action (such as 
fascism). The evolution of discourses on populism — both as an 
analytical category and in its polemic use in political debates and film 
criticism — will also be taken into account. Moreover, aspects 
intersecting with similar debates can be discussed: for instance, the 
relationship between political cinema and the category of “popular,” 
as well as discourses on the “popular” vocation of cinema (also in 
contrast to the language and cultural legitimacy of other communication 
forms).

The articles can either focus on single films and directors, or they can 
broaden their perspective to the processes of construction and 
circulation of the filmic imagery in a specific context.

Proposals can address one or more of the following topics (this list is 
not exclusive):

- representational strategies of power in a given historical conjuncture 
which presents the traits of populism;

- the relationship between charismatic forms of government and the 
populist imaginary (e.g. the permeability between the star system and 
political communication);

- exchanges between populist movements and the fields of film production 
and distribution;

- the representation of relevant historical figures in populist contexts;

- conceptual oppositions in critical discourses (e.g. the definition of 
some directors or cinematographic movements as populist or neopopulist);

- discourses on film audiences in relation to the idea of the 
“people”, and their political implications;

- the hegemonic gender models in populist communication and their 
relationship to the star system.


Deadlines & Guidelines

To propose an article please send an abstract and short biographical 
note to the address (redazione /at/ cinemaestoria.it) 
<mailto:(redazione /at/ cinemaestoria.it)> by March 31, 2018.

Abstracts must be between 200 and 250 words, and may be presented in 
English or Italian, although completed articles must be in Italian - 
proofreading will be guaranteed by “Cinema e Storia” editorial board.

The proposal should include: five key-words, names of author(s), 
institution(s) and contact details (email, telephone), together with a 
short bio for each author.

If the proposal is accepted, the author/s will be asked to send the 
complete article to the same e-mail address by July 31, 2018. 
Contributions will be sent to two independent reviewers in a 
double-blind peer review process prior to the final publication 
decision. Authors may be requested to change or improve their articles 
if suggested by reviewers.

Articles should be between 4,000-5,000 words in length (no more than 
35,000 characters, spaces and notes included), but shorter articles will 
be also considered.

For info, please send an email to:

(valerio.coladonato /at/ gmail.com) <mailto:(valerio.coladonato /at/ gmail.com)> 
and/or (asangiovanni /at/ unite.it) <mailto:(asangiovanni /at/ unite.it)>



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