cfp.english.upenn.edu

Call for Papers
“The Landscape of Love: Nature and the Environment in Film and Television”
2010 Film & History Conference: Representations of Love in Film and Television
November 11-14, 2010
Hyatt Regency Milwaukee
www.uwosh.edu/filmandhistory
Second-Round Deadline: March 1, 2010

AREA: “The Landscape of Love: Nature and the Environment in Film and Television”

Mother Nature is sometimes the star of the show, and sometimes a bit player, but nature and the environment have an important role in film and television narratives. This area will examine documentary and feature films, as well as television series and specials. An ecocritical lens can provide a more nuanced understanding of cinematic texts. How the natural world is contextualized, and how the environment is used or abused, unlocks underlying attitudes and concerns situated in media production and consumption.

This area, comprising multiple panels, welcomes papers and panel proposals that examine all forms and genres of films featuring nature and the environment. Possibilities include, but are not limited to, the following topics:

Animal Love on the Discovery Channel
Nature and the Myth of the West
After the Apocalypse: Life without Mother Nature’s Love
Agriculture in Film and Television
DIY Gardening Shows
Urban Landscapes in Film and Television
Ken Burns and National Parks
Early Cinema and Natural Wonders
Africa in Feature Films
YouTube and Environmental Messages

Please send your 200-word proposal by e-mail to the area chair:

Deborah Carmichael
Michigan State University
Carmic28 @msu.edu

Panel proposals for up to four presenters are also welcome, but each presenter must submit his or her own paper proposal. For updates and registration information about the upcoming meeting, see the Film & History website (www.uwosh.edu/filmandhistory).