fan studies and fandom

A Critical Companion to Robert Zemeckis

edited by Adam Barkman and Antonio Sanna

Part of the Critical Companion to Popular Directors series.

11-12 October 2019

Johannes Gutenberg-Universität Mainz

Alyn Euritt (Leipzig)

Patrick Gill (Mainz)

Despite the increasing visibility of fan studies as a discipline, there remains scant work that turns its focus specifically to methodological issues. This relative neglect may be due to its status as a somewhat unruly or ‘undisciplined discipline’ (Ford 2014), which takes its theoretical cues from others including sociology, media and cultural studies, psychology, and literary studies. However, as its presence begins to grow and more scholars discover the work being undertaken, it is timely and appropriate for those working within the field to turn their attention more decisively to issues of methods.  

In today's culture, it's almost impossible to avoid "monsters."  Straight from mythology and legend, these fantastic creatures traipse across our television screens and the pages of our books.  Over centuries and across cultures, the inhuman have represented numerous cultural fears and, in more recent times, desires. They are Other. They are Us. This panel will explore the literal monsters--whether they be mythological, extraterrestrial, or man-made--that populate fiction and film, delving into the cultural, psychological and/or theoretical implications.

The Midwest Popular Culture Association/Midwest American Culture Association seeks proposals for papers and panels both on Western animation and on anime for its 2019 Conference, to be held Thursday-Sunday, 10-13 October 2019 at the Hyatt Regency, 151 W 5th St, Cincinnati, OH.  As animation and anime cover all kinds of storytelling, topics may include but are not limited to the following suggestions: