CALL FOR PAPERS

20-21 July 2011, Northumbria University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK

Deadline for abstracts: 1 March 2011

Keynote speakers to include: Stacey Abbott, Helen Wheatley, Stephen Volk, Peter Wright

Proposals for papers are sought for a two-day conference on traditions of British telefantasy. A platform for interdisciplinary scholarship on British SF, horror, gothic and fantasy television, the conference seeks to advance an understanding of the historical importance of the fantasy tradition within British television, and of the significance of that tradition to British and international visual cultures more generally. It also coincides with a surge of creative achievement and popular interest in programmes incorporating "fantastic" elements, such as Doctor Who, Being Human, Survivors and Misfits, as well as the elevation of many older shows to cult or canonical status. As the first major conference specifically on the subject of British telefantasy, it will consider how this rich tradition might be understood, evaluated and contextualised.

The conference organisers, Dr James Leggott and Dr Alison Peirse, invite proposals for 20 minute papers on any aspect of British telefantasy, past or present. Contributions are welcome from scholars and postgraduate students working in television, cultural, literary, media, historical and sociological studies, or any related discipline. Possible themes might include, but are not limited to:

• Case studies of authors, directors, stars, producers and other creative personnel
• Traditions of children's telefantasy
• Fan cultures
• The global marketing, distribution and reception of British telefantasy
• International collaborations and transnational connections
• The inter-relationship between televisual and other cultures of SF, horror and fantasy (such as radio, film, literature, music, fashion etc)
• The political, cultural, social, religious, technological and commercial contexts of British telefantasy
• Articulations of cultural identity, such as those relating to gender, sexuality, ethnicity, disability and class
• Formats, adaptation and the evolution of hybrid genres (such as science fiction comedy)
• Music, scores and soundscapes
• Place, space and landscape: British telefantasy and regional, urban and rural identities.
• The style and look of British telefantasy

Abstracts of 200 words for 20 minute papers should be submitted, together with a 50 word author profile, to james.leggott@northumbria.ac.uk. The deadline for submissions is 1st March 2011. Proposals are welcome for themed panels of three or four participants.

Dr James Leggott and Dr Alison Peirse
Lecturers in Film and Television
Department of Arts
School of Arts and Social Sciences
Northumbria University
Newcastle upon Tyne