DRIVE CULTURE
CALL FOR PAPERS

Feel free to submit to one or more of the following:

1. Today it has become a critical commonplace to treat even the most
banal and embarrassing examples of popular culture as complex
articulations of theoretical concepts. This approach seeks to sanction
popular culture as an appropriate object of academic study, but in the
act of sanctioning perpetuates the very disparity it hopes to overcome.
Moreover, these theoretical expositions of popular culture are typically
performed within the confines of an academic space. What might be the
unintended consequences of this arrangement and how might we reconfigure
the relationship between theory and popular culture? We are looking for
papers that respond to these questions, however, the answers need not be
articulated explicitlyâ€"any paper that inventively combines the popular
and the theoretical is already an implicit commentary on the relationship
between the two. We are especially hoping to provide provocative
counterexamples to the common approach, rather than simply dwell on its
problems. Papers should be brief (between 2000 and 4000 words) and
original. Formal experimentation is encouraged, since it may be necessary
to push the borders of the academic in order to approach the popular.
 

2. In a kind of perversion of the spirit of Wikipedia, Drive Culture
wants to create an encyclopedia that actively aims at a non-totalization
of knowledge. Such an encyclopedia would make no pretense to objectivity,
but would instead amplify the subjective by allowing multiple entries on
single topics. Our hope is that the more we add to it, the less we will
know. For our first issue, we would like to start with the letter “A.” We
are especially on the lookout for subjects that have escaped Wiki’s
radar. Entries should be no more than 750 words and should not hesitate
to depart from the objective, didactic approach of the standard
encyclopedic entry through humor, absurdity or sarcasm. Any “A” word is
acceptable, but here is a list of suggestions to encourage multiple
responses to the same subject:

abyssinia
acephale
Amazon
American
amputee fetish
apolitical
appendix
petit a
autological words
avatar
                
3. We are also looking for reviews of published material (print or
electronic) and reports on events pertaining to the subject matter of the
journal. 500-1500 words.

Submissions:
Illustrations, graphics, and links to site-external media should be
inserted into the body of the work at the appropriate points. If you
would like to embed media such as video or sound clips within the work,
please indicate this in your submission and we will contact you for
further information.

By email:
submisssions_at_driveculture.com
Please include SUBMISSIONS in the subject line. Microsoft Word
attachments are encouraged, but for shorter pieces you may paste the body
of the work into the email.

Hard-copy:
Please send your manuscripts to:
Phillip Mahoney
English Department
Temple University
Anderson Hall, 10th Floor (022-29)
1114 W. Berks St.
Philadelphia, PA 19122-6090

The deadline for the first issue is September 1st.

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Received on Mon Jun 16 2008 - 19:03:24 EDT