cfp.english.upenn.edu

6th Global Conference
Visions of Humanity in Cyberculture, Cyberspace and Science Fiction

Tuesday 12th July 2011 – Thursday 14th July 2011
Mansfield College, Oxford

Call for Papers
This inter-disciplinary and multi-disciplinary project aims to explore what it is to be human and the nature of human community in cyberculture, cyberspace and science fiction. In particular, the project will explore the possibilities offered by these contexts for creative thinking about persons and the challenges posed to the nature and future of national, international, and global communities.

Papers, short papers, and workshops are invited on issues related to any of the following themes;

* the relationship between cyberculture, cyberspace, science fiction
* cyberculture, cyberpunk and the near future: utopia's vs. dystopia's
* science fiction and cyberpunk as a medium for exploring the nature of persons
* humans and cyborgs; the synergy of humans and technology; changing views of the body
* human and post-human concepts in cyber arts and cinema
* mobile media, place and the telematic body
* bodies in cyberculture; from apes to androids – electronic evolution; biotechnical advances and the impact of life, death, and social existence
* body politics in cyberpunk and steampunk: body modification versus cosplay?
* artificial intelligence, robotics and biomedia: self-organization as a cultural logic
* gender and cyberspace: new gender, new feminisms, new masculinities
* cyberpunk and steampunk: exploring the differences and similarities
* virtual worlds and videogames and its impact on science fiction
* digital culture and interactive storytelling, transmedia storytelling
* nature, enhancing nature, and artificial intelligence; artificial life, life and information systems
* networked living in future city, urban lifestyles
* human and post-human politics; cyborg citizenship and rights; influence of political technologies
* cyberpolitics, cyberdemocracy, cyberterror; old conflicts, new spaces: elections, protest and war in cyberspace
* the state and cyberspace: repression vs. resistance
* boundaries, frontiers and taboos in cyberculture
* religion and spirituality in cyberculture

The Steering Group particularly welcomes the submission of pre-formed panel proposals. Papers will also be considered on any related theme. 300 word abstracts should be submitted by Friday 14th January 2011. If an abstract is accepted for the conference, a full draft paper should be submitted by Friday 27th May 2011. Abstracts should be submitted simultaneously to both Organising Chairs; abstracts may be in Word, WordPerfect, or RTF formats with the following information and in this order:

a) author(s), b) affiliation, c) email address, d) title of abstract, e) body of abstract
E-mails should be entitled: VISIONS6 Abstract Submission.

Please use plain text (Times Roman 12) and abstain from using footnotes and any special formatting, characters or emphasis (such as bold, italics or underline). We acknowledge receipt and answer to all paper proposals submitted. If you do not receive a reply from us in a week you should assume we did not receive your proposal; it might be lost in cyberspace! We suggest, then, to look for an alternative electronic route or resend.

Joint Organising Chairs
Daniel Riha
Charles University
Prague,
Czech Republic
E-mail: rihad@inter-disciplinary.net

Rob Fisher
Network Founder and Network Leader
Inter-Disciplinary.Net
Priory House, Freeland, Oxfordshire OX29 8HR
United Kingdom
E-mail: visions6@inter-disciplinary.net

The conference is part of the ‘Critical Issues’ series of research projects run by Inter-Disciplinary.Net. It aims to bring together people from different areas and interests to share ideas and explore various discussions which are innovative and challenging. All papers accepted for and presented at the conference are eligible for publication in an ISBN eBook. Selected papers may be invited to go forward for development into 20-25 page chapters for publication in a themed dialogic ISBN hard copy volume.

For further details about the project please visit:
http://www.inter-disciplinary.net/critical-issues/cyber/visions-of-human...

For further details about the conference please visit:
http://www.inter-disciplinary.net/critical-issues/cyber/visions-of-human...