cfp.english.upenn.edu

Global Mythologies and World Cinema
Edited by Mikel J. Koven (University of Worcester)
Updated Call for Papers

Global Mythology and World Cinema will be a collection of essays which discuss how a variety of world cinemas use their own indigenous cultural mythologies. The function of these myths and their filmic counterparts will vary from culture-to-culture and from film-to-film. The collection will argue against the extant paradigm of “mythic cinema”, wherein the term “myth,” co-opted by Jungians and Campbellians, refers to any vague perceived universal archetype. This collection will be about cultural specificity, not universal generalizations, regarding the sacred and how that sacred is manifested in world cinema.

We have already received several statements of interest in this project and are now looking to expand the call-for-papers to include specifically the following areas for in-depth papers (approximately between 8000-10, 000 words) exploring the indigenous mythic visions from the following cultural groups’ cinemas:
• Latin America
• Native American
• European, specifically Eastern-European
• African
• The Arab Worlds
• And Maori & Australian Aboriginal cultures

While an academic publisher has been approached, and interest in the collection has been expressed, we are just about to begin writing the formal book proposal document.
If you are interested in joining us on this project, please send formal chapter proposals (of 300-words), along with a short (150-word) biography of yourself – including university affiliation, expertise and previous publications, by 1 January, 2011 to Mikel J. Koven (m.koven@worc.ac.uk). Essay submission will be required around 30 June, 2011.