Tag: worldcon

Alice Pullin sent the following cfp for the next Worldcon’s academic programming to the SFRA email list. It would be great to meet KSR, since I didn’t get to meet him at Georgia Tech when he was there awhile back–though Lisa did get me his autograph, but I don’t know how I could afford a trip to Australia. I guess I should follow some of these money making schemes here. Read below for the details:

Call for papers: World Science Fiction Convention Academic Programming
Aussiecon 4: 68th World Science Fiction Convention
September 2nd – 6th, 2010
Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre, Australia

The many uses of science fiction

Why do we study science fiction (SF)? Why do we read it, write about it?
What uses do we put these readings and writings to?  As the critical fields
intersecting with science fiction grow ever broader, SF is called on to
perform all kinds of cultural and theoretical work.  It is claimed as an
ideal source for reading cultural histories of western technoscience, of
thinking through the sociological and philosophical challenges of science
studies, and as revealing of the destabilising of humanism emerging in
animal studies and the Śposthumanitiesą more generally. What does all this
work mean for critical theory in the twenty first century, and our
understanding of the place of science fiction studies within more canonical
fields of cultural enquiry?  And what, if any are the implications for SF as
a genre, marketing category, and as a community of readers?

The theme of Aussiecon 4’s Academic Program is the study of SF, broadly
framed: why and how we read it as critics, academics and fans and what use/s
we put these readings to.  We invite papers reflecting on science fiction
studies and its relation to other critical fields, including (but not
limited to) cultural studies, media studies, fan studies, science and
literature studies, ecocriticism, science communication and animal studies.
We welcome analyses of the political implications of race, gender,
sexuality, and class on such criticism and its intersection with questions
of social democracy, ethics, and environmental politics.   Also of interest
is the impact of such work on popular and mainstream conceptions of science
fiction, and on its potential (and future) audience.

Please send Abstracts by May 31st 2010

Submissions and enquires should be directed to the Academic co-conveners, Dr
Helen Merrick & Professor Andrew Milner at academic@aussiecon4.org.au

Submissions should include:
* title of paper;
* name & affiliation;
* email address;
* 150 word abstract;
* short biographical statement;
* AV requirements

More information about Aussiecon 4, including membership rates can be found
at: http://www.aussiecon4.org.au/