cfp.english.upenn.edu

There is little doubt as to the importance that H.P. Lovecraft has played in the development of American horror. Additionally, the pulp magazine Weird Tales, which published much of Lovecraft’s fiction, is also consistently recognized as a seminal publication for eerie and horrific texts. With these two givens in mind, we are actively looking for paper proposals that explore the way that Lovecraft and/or Weird Tales helped construct the American horror canon or the American horrific aesthetic. Papers will be presented at the College of St. Joseph’s popular culture conference, held the last weekend in October [we are hosting the conference in October to help break up the conference jam that happens over Winter and Spring recess].

Potential paper topics [this list should not be seen as limiting]:

Lesser Lovecrafts: Unknown Weird Tales contributors in the Lovecraftian style
The art of Weird Tales
From Weird Tales to Tales from the Crypt
The horror aesthetic between the wars
Racial horror in Weird Tales
The economics of horror
Eco-critical readings of Weird Tales
Lovecraft’s narratives, Hollywood’s stories
Lovecraft in the 21st century
Eerie, Creepy, and the influence of Lovecraft on Warren Publications
“The Thing That Should not Be”: Weird Tales and transgressive music

250-300 word paper abstracts should be sent to Dr. Jonas Prida at jprida@csj.edu by May 15th. If accepted, papers/presentations should be in the 3000 word range. We encourage creative projects, co-presentations, faculty/undergraduate collaboration, and graduate students. Any questions can be send to Dr. Jonas Prida as well.