[Commlist] CfP - Cultures of Authenticity edited book

*Call for papers, edited collection on ‘Cultures of Authenticity’*

Following the successful webinar series, hosted by Loughborough 
University this autumn 
(https://blog.lboro.ac.uk/crcc/nations-citizenship/cultures-of-authenticity/ 
<https://blog.lboro.ac.uk/crcc/nations-citizenship/cultures-of-authenticity/>), 
we are now seeking contribution for an edited collection on the topic of 
'authenticity'

*Editors, **Marie Heřmanová, Academy of Sciences of the Czech 
Republic**, Michael Skey and Thomas Thurnell-Read, Loughborough 
University, UK*

A widespread fascination with the authentic is said to have emerged as a 
response to the processes of homogenisation, rationalisation and 
standardisation at the heart of modernity. The concept of authenticity 
arose historically at a time of rapid social change and has again come 
to the fore where social, political, cultural and technological 
upheavals give rise to feelings of distrust, detachment and alienation 
against which supposedly authentic people, places and things are sought 
out for their reassuring certainty and value. Yet, there are huge 
contradictions and inequalities in who can make claim to authenticity 
and its construction and communication invariably involves competing 
narratives and oppositional assertions about what is authentic and how 
and why the authentic gains its value.

Thus, while the concept of authenticity has a long history, in recent 
years it has emerged as a prominent theme in many of the most pressing 
debates about contemporary communication and culture. In political 
communication there are ongoing concerns about misinformation and fake 
news, while the success of populist parties is often tied to their 
claims to be a more authentic representative of ‘the people’ than a 
detached and dispassionate elite. Similarly, the increasingly fractious 
debates around migration that are taking place across the globe often 
centre on the desire to protect ‘authentic’ national cultures from 
globalising forces and the perceived threat of ‘other’ people, products, 
ideas and images. In the area of culture, economy and policy, copyright, 
privacy and authorship remain central issues for the major media 
industries, while for smaller-scale content and craft producers, 
authenticity may operate as a key selling point and a marker of cultural 
distinction for both producers and consumers. Likewise, many parts of 
the tourism and heritage industries see the provision of authentic 
experiences as their raison d’etre, offering re(creations) of the past 
and access to ‘real’ cultural communities and traditions.

Although interest in, and research about, authenticity is growing apace, 
there are few, if any, publications exploring the concept from a range 
of disciplinary perspectives. This edited collection will address this 
lacuna, bring together both established scholars and early career 
researchers from across the social sciences and humanities and address 
the following key questions;

Why are debates around authenticity growing at this time?

Who does authenticity matter to and why?

How do different disciplines and subject areas approach the concept?

What are the main similarities and differences in the way that 
authenticity is conceptualised across the social sciences and humanities?

We therefore invite book chapter proposals from any disciplinary 
background for this edited collection on ‘Cultures of Authenticity’. We 
are interested in a broad range of chapters exploring authenticity and 
proposals addressing authenticity in relation to, but not limited to, 
the following themes:

  * Authenticity, politics and political communication
  * Consumption and the use of authenticity in branding and marketing
  * Authenticity, the internet and the rise of social media
  * Authenticity in subcultures, fan cultures and celebrity culture
  * Authenticity in tourism, heritage and memorialisation
  * Authenticity, literature and authorship
  * Authenticity in sports, lifestyle and leisure pursuits and practices

Proposals should be between 500-750 words and sent to Michael Skey 
((m.skey /at/ lboro.ac.uk) <mailto:(m.skey /at/ lboro.ac.uk)>) by 18^th January 2021

Proposed timescale for delivery: first draft of chapter to be submitted 
by June 2021, comments from editors, August 2021, final draft of 
chapters to be submitted by November 2021, publication in early 2022

Authors wishing to discuss chapter ideas prior to the abstract 
submission are welcome to contact the editors via email.



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