[Commlist] Call for papers: Doctor Who and Science

*Call for papers: /Doctor Who and Science/*

In 1963 /Doctor Who /began with the purported intention of using drama 
to teach science. Since then it has inspired many people to pursue 
scientific careers and the science presented in it has lived on in new 
contexts from stage shows to the classroom. The program is now the 
world’s longest running science fiction series. The recent re-casting of 
the title role with a female actor has served to reinvigorate its global 
popularity and interest, in part because some commentators see the 
Doctor as a scientist role model.

At different times /Doctor Who/’s production personnel have been from 
science backgrounds (1960s writer Kit Pedler), been avid readers of /New 
Scientist /(1970s producer Barry Letts) or wanting to make ‘hard 
science’ the substance of drama (1980s script editor Christopher H. 
Bidmead). Others have been more cavalier, and science can be either 
surface dressing or essential to the plot. The extent to which the 
central character has reinforced her or his role and credentials as a 
scientist has varied across decades. Scientific dialogue can be 
scrupulously researched or careless nonsense. The science fiction in the 
show can be derivative from the genre (traction beams, teleporters) or 
novel.

This collection is to pull together the latest research into a volume 
that examines the dramatic use and possibly abuse of science in /Doctor 
Who/ and how it characterises, celebrates or terrifies with science.

*/Advice for contributors/*

This edited collection is under contract with McFarland.

This call for papers is for abstracts of up to 250 words explaining the 
focus and approach the contributor/s’ chapter will take.

Contributions can consider any of the show’s different incarnations 
(1963-1989, 1996, 2005-), its spin-off television series and other 
/Doctor Who /media such as novels and audio plays. Contributions 
addressing how /Doctor Who/ has been used to promote public engagement 
with science, including through exhibitions in science museums and 
popular science works, are also welcome.

Contributors might like to consider the social, political, ideological, 
cultural and economic aspects of science as a way to approach the series 
and its content, as well as its depictions of scientist characters and 
scientific knowledge.

The proposed volume is intended to be scholarly but accessible in tone 
and approach. Each contribution should be 6000-8000 words all inclusive. 
We cannot accept contributions that require the reproduction of images 
unless you already hold the rights to reproduce them.

Suggested reading and key documents are available at 
doctorwhoandscience.wordpress.com

Email abstracts to both (marcus.harmes /at/ usq.edu.au) 
<mailto:(marcus.harmes /at/ usq.edu.au)> and (lindy.orthia /at/ anu.edu.au) 
<mailto:(lindy.orthia /at/ anu.edu.au)> by 30 June 2019.

*/About the editors/*

Associate Professor Marcus Harmes is author of /Doctor Who and the Art 
of Adaptation /(2013) and /Roger Delgado:/ /I am Usually Referred to as 
the Master / (2017) and contributed chapters to /Doctor Who and Race/, 
/Doctor Who and History/ and /Time and Relative Dimensions in Faith/. He 
is the author of numerous studies on popular culture, science fiction 
and the history of British television.

Dr Lindy Orthia is a senior lecturer in science communication whose 
research interests include studies of science in popular fiction. She 
has published extensively on representations of science in /Doctor Who/, 
examining intersections in the program between science and politics, 
ethics, gender, race and environmental disaster. She is the editor of 
/Doctor Who and Race/ (2013).

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