popular culture

Russell Crowe’s talents were globally recognized in the early 2000s after he appeared in a slate of well-received films – L.A. Confidential, Gladiator, and A Beautiful Mind, among others – that earned him critical acclaim. Nevertheless, in the years following these productions, he has continued to be a part of numerous projects with international and creative appeal. Alongside his films are his associations with Roman soccer teams – established in Spera’s (2023) chapter in my recent volume on Gladiator (https://vernonpress.com/book/1213) – his social media presence, and his musical performances.

The twentieth anniversary of Ridley Scott’s Gladiator (2000) was an important moment in film history, for it not only marked a great film and work of art, but it also reminded audiences how peplum and historical epics still mattered. The edited collection “A Hero Will Endure”: Essays at the Twentieth Anniversary of ‘Gladiator’ (2023) provided insights on the film two decades after its release.

Yet now there is a sequel. This CFP therefore serves to build on the work done in the 2023 essays and provide a further avenue of exploration for connections between the two films as well as innovative readings of Gladiator 2 on its own.

Topics include, but are not limited to:

Although initially dismissed as “a holiday from history” (Will), a “frivolous if not decadent decade” (Rich), and a “time of trivial pursuits” (Halberstam) (cf. Chollet and Goldgeier 2008), the 1990s have increasingly been recognized as a pivotal historical moment. Scholars have underscored its defining impact, with Wegner characterizing the decade as “life between two deaths,” framed by the end of the Cold War and the events of 9/11 (2009).

Working Title - Planet Flanagan: Essays on the Netflix Series of Mike Flanagan

Mike Flanagan has steadily made a significant name for himself in horror, garnering praise for his originality in films such as Oculus (2013) and Hush (2016), and further critical acclaim for works like Ouija: Origin of Evil (2016), Gerald’s Game (2017) and especially his adaptation of Stephen King’s Doctor Sleep (2019).

DEADLINE EXTENDED TO 15 FEBRUARY 2025.

Submissions are invited for a scholarly conference on domestic cats in literature to be hosted online 13-15 March 2025 by the Troy University Department of English.  

Papers may address any aspect of the subject, including—but not limited to—the following:

This chapter will be part of an edited collection that aims at examining (the intersections between) the notions of monstrosity and evil in the literary and artistic depictions of non-human and hybrid (or post-human) intelligence in different cultural and historical contexts. It focuses on the representation of monsters and creatures that have cognitive abilities as well as on the demonizing and vilification of artificially or magically enhanced human intelligence. It also deals with the depiction of malignant non-human entities interfering with human thoughts and evil non-human cosmic intelligences interfering with human destinies.

PopCRN (the Popular Culture Network) will be holding a free virtual symposium exploring the 1950s in popular culture. Held online on Thursday 27th and Friday 28th of March 2025.

The 1950s was the decade where the world began to recover from the tragedy of the Second World War. This conference aims to explore both the popular culture of the 1950s, and how the 1950s have been depicted in the popular culture of other eras.

Horror Studies Now: A Two-Day Conference (29-30 May 2025, Northumbria University, UK)

Researchers working in the broad field of “Horror Studies”, are invited to submit abstracts about their research for an in-person conference, hosted by the Horror Studies Research Group at Northumbria University (https://research.northumbria.ac.uk/horrorstudies), on 29-30 May 2025.

What can books teach us about character? The people in literary works face moral dilemmas—choosing between personal gain and doing the right thing, whatever the consequences. Fictional heroes often explore the boundaries of character, asking us which traits we deem noble. The same choices and internal struggles appear in nonfiction works such as biographies or histories, deepened by the impact of character on the real world. Looking at character in books helps us stay true to our values, even in the most threatening of circumstances. By immersing ourselves in the stories of others—be they true or imagined—we develop a stronger moral compass and a deeper understanding of how to live with character.

Call for Papers: 33rd Annual Sachsman Symposium on the 19th Century Press

November 13-15, 2025 • Augusta University, Augusta, Georgia

The Society of Nineteenth Century Historians, in partnership with the Pamplin College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences at Augusta University, presents the 33rd Annual Sachsman Symposium on the 19th Century Press, formerly known as the Symposium on the 19th Century Press, the Civil War, and Free Expression.

Scholarship of the works of Robert E. Howard often focuses on the author’s original stories printed in pulp magazines. These works helped to form the foundation of the sword and sorcery genre, and established Howard as a masterful fantasist. However, the Hyborian Age continues to thrive through Howardian works which are only beginning to find a purchase in academia. I am excited to announce a project to bring together scholars to discuss contemporary media that adapts or was inspired by the works of Robert E. Howard. 

The International Gender and Sexuality Studies Conference is presented by the Women’s Research Center and the BGLTQ+ Student Center at the University of Central Oklahoma with assistance from the UCO chapter of the National Organization for Women. In tandem, these organizations promote engagement with Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies issues.

American, British and Canadian Studies

Special Issue

American Narratives and Video Games

December 2025

Call for Papers

Guest Editors

Francesca Razzi, “G. d’Annunzio” University of Chieti-Pescara (francesca.razzi@unich.it)

Valentina Romanzi, University of Torino and University of Verona (valentina.romanzi@unito.it)

CFP: Dracula: A Companion

Matthew Crofts & Maddy Potter

Dracula: A Companion is intended to both be an essential guide to interpreting Bram Stoker’s Dracula and a collection of new perspectives supporting a reshaping of the way the text is taught and engaged with by students.