cfp.english.upenn.edu

specs, a journal of arts and culture, invites submissions of critical and/or creative work for the 3rd volume on the theme of "Toys." We seek works of fiction, non-fiction, cultural criticism, artwork, poetry, and pieces that blur genre boundaries. The editorial board consists of writers and academics from various fields. We are excited by specialty, an excess of detail, fragments, narratives, meta-narratives, and more. We are particularly interested in works that examine contemporary culture and/or cross the critical/creative divide while riffing on the theme of "Toys" in multiple ways (philosophy, anthropology, mythology):

-Misfit toys
-Dioramas-Lilliputia
-The multicultural body in toys
-Technophilia/ Techno-animism
-Automata & Clockworks
-Bobbleheads, Marytoshkyas, & Dashboard figurines-Barbie Dolls / Action Figures / Gendered toys
-Neverlands/Wonderlands/Child Stars
-Toy as Totem: Models, Simulations, and Miniatures-Marionettes
-Kawaii/Japanese toy culture
-Animals as accessories / Furries
-Prize in the box / Tchotchkes / Kitsch / Nostalgia-Toy Mediums
-Sex toys
-Taxidermy / Living Dolls / Mannequins/ Replicants
-Commodified icons
-Pageantry

Online submissions are preferred (editors@specsjournal.org) Please visit www.specsjournal.org for submission guidelines and regulations (6000-8000 words for critical articles). Also, visit us on Twitter and Facebook for real time updates, news, publication schedule and more.

Deadline: Feb 15, 2010 for critical papers, March 15, 2010 for everything else. Send submissions to editors@specsjournal.org

Vidhu Aggarwal
Editor,SPECS
Department of English
Rollins College
Winter Park, FL 32789
407-646-2000
Email: vaggarwal@rollins.edu
Visit the website at http://www.specsjournal.org/submissions.html