CFP ACLA2025: Interactive Storytelling Seminar and Edited Volume

deadline for submissions: 
October 14, 2024
full name / name of organization: 
Hudson Moura
contact email: 

Title: Interactive Narratives: Rethinking Interactivity and Digital Archiving

ACLA Conference Dates: May 29–June 1, 2025, Online

Call for Papers and Book Chapters

Interactive storytelling has become a cornerstone of modern narrative forms, reshaping the processes by which stories are crafted and experienced. Building on the discussions and insights from last year's conference seminar, this year's Interactive Storytelling Seminar seeks to delve deeper into the concept of interactivity while addressing the challenges of archiving digital culture and preserving interactive projects. This seminar will emphasize the need for innovative methodologies and critical frameworks to sustain these narrative forms for future scholarship and engagement.

 

Seminar Overview:

This seminar will explore the transformative potential of interactive narratives and the challenges inherent in archiving digital culture. We invite scholars and practitioners from diverse fields, including literature, communication, film, digital media, gaming, and cultural studies, to participate in a comprehensive dialogue around the following key themes:

  1. The Notion of Interactivity:
  • Reevaluate traditional concepts of interactivity, moving beyond user-computer interfaces to explore more nuanced interactive dynamics.
  • Address how meaningful interactive experiences can enhance narratives and gameplay.
  • Explore various forms of interactivity, from physical installations to digital platforms that offer narrative superposition and user agency.
  • Archiving Digital Culture:
    • Investigate the challenges and methodologies involved in preserving interactive media.
    • Examine the preservation of virtual reality experiences, multimedia installations, software, interactive fiction, and video game narratives.
    • Highlight the need for innovative solutions to maintain these media's interactive and experiential qualities for future research and accessibility.

     

    Call for Paper Presentations:

    We invite participants to submit paper presentation proposals that engage with the seminar’s themes, focusing on interactive elements in novels, films, comic books, games, digital platforms, or other narrative forms. Proposals should demonstrate critical engagement with the seminar’s core themes and contribute to a deeper understanding of interactive storytelling and the complexities of digital archiving. Submissions on related topics will also be considered. Possible areas of focus include but are not limited to:

    • Novels and reader engagement
    • Interactive mechanisms in comic books
    • The history of interactive storytelling
    • Hypertext literature and non-linear storytelling
    • Video games and interactive films
    • Immersive storytelling in virtual and augmented reality

     

    Submission Details:

     

    Publication Opportunity (Edited Volume): 

    In addition to presenting their papers at the seminar, contributors will be invited to submit their work for inclusion in a forthcoming edited volume to be published by Routledge. This book will focus on interactive narratives and storytelling, allowing participants to develop their papers further and contribute to a much-anticipated collection that unites essential theoretical discussions and critical perspectives in one cohesive volume. This edited volume aims to serve as a key resource in interactivity for film and media studies, providing valuable insights into the evolving dynamics of interactive storytelling. Submission for the volume is separate from the conference presentation, and inclusion will be subject to peer review.

     

    Contact Information:

    Hudson Moura (hmoura@torontomu.ca)
    ACLA 2025 Annual Meeting