Morbid Fascination: Dark Tourism in the American West

deadline for submissions: 
February 15, 2017
full name / name of organization: 
Jennifer Adkison
contact email: 

I invite submissions to a book collection entitled Morbid Fascination: Dark Tourism in the American West.

Editor: Dr. Jennifer Dawes Adkison, Associate Professor of English, Henderson State University, Arkadelphia, Arkansas, adkisoj@hsu.edu<mailto:adkisoj@hsu.edu>

Overview:

Places of death, suffering, and disaster compel our attention; they both intrigue and repel us. Morbid fascination draws tourists to sites as diverse as Pompeii, Auschwitz, and Chernobyl. A growing body of scholarship considers the impulse to visit these places of misfortune and catastrophe and, especially, the mediation and shaping of these sites into touristic destinations. Much of this work, however, has focused on places outside the geographical boundaries of the American West. This collection of essays aims to expand our understanding of Dark Tourism within the context of the West. I invite proposals exploring a range of Western Dark Tourism sites and topics.

Submission details: Proposals for submissions to this collection should include a title, contact information (email, phone, address, including preferred means of contact), and a 500-word abstract. Proposals are due via email to adkisoj@hsu.edu by February 15, 2016. I welcome queries and questions.