cfp.english.upenn.edu

The world of Star Trek has been a pervasive and extensive part of North American culture, starting with the classic television series of the 1960s and presently encompassing the blockbuster hit movie. There have been six television series (The Original Series, The Animated Series, The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, Voyager, and Enterprise), eleven feature films, books, comics and countless paraphenalia. In the world of Star Trek, sexuality and gender have been presented to viewers in various ways, using the relationships we develop with the characters to impact our interpretations and perspectives with respect to these concepts. The goal of this book is to critically examine the representation, impact, or perception of sexuality and gender in an entertaining, but insightful manner, with a focus on what these perspectives can mean for viewers, culture, and society.

The book will provide an approachable, tasteful, and high-quality analysis of sexuality, sexual orientation, and gender representations in a popular culture framework. While the target audience includes academics, the book is intended to appeal to the lay population, fans of Star Trek and science fiction, and those generally interested in media, sexuality, and gender studies.

Potential topics and themes include:
-sexuality as shown, inferred, or left to the viewer’s imagination,
-masculinity, femininity, androgeny, or transgenderism,
-longitudinal representations of sexuality, gender, or sexual orientation and preference,
-roles of sex, sexual orientation, or gender in relationships, reproduction, and recreation,
-hermaphrodism, asexualism, multi-sexualism (e.g., species with more than two sexes),
-sex and gender as part of character development,
-sexual orientation and gay, lesbian, or bi/multi-sexual behaviour,
-experiences in script writing or acting with respect to sexuality and gender,
-conflict between sex, sexual orientation, and gender,
-challenging stereotypes, pushing boundaries, and resistance,
-interplay of ethnicity (including aliens) and sexuality,
-technology as engendered, and
-interaction of technology, sex, and gender.

Please note that this list is not necessarily complete and that we welcome topics outside of those listed here.

Length and Style
Most chapters are expected to use an essay style, but unique and evocative submissions using alternative styles are invited. Authors are encouraged to have fun, but should present their views in a mature and respectful manner. Submissions should be approximately 3000 to 5,000 words in length (negotiable) and use the MLA reference format. Note that a bibliography is recommended, but is not required for narrative or experience focused submissions. Microsoft Word documents are preferred, however other formats (e.g., Latex) may be accommodated upon request. Please, no submissions in Klingon (i.e., tlhIngan), Vulcan, or Romulan!

Submission Procedure
Authors are invited to submit a 2 to 3 page proposal by DECEMBER 1, 2009 clearly explaining the mission, purpose, or goal of their chapter. If possible, the issues that the chapter addresses should be identified. Authors must also submit a short biography. Submissions should be sent to kinky.klingon@gmail.com. All authors will be notified upon the receipt of their proposal. Please note that authors may come from various walks of life, and thus, academics, independent scholars, graduate students, those involved in the media industry, journalists, actors, script writers, and so on are invited to contribute.

More info: http://www.cenpsycom.org/kinkyklingons/