Deadline: November 15, 2006
CFP: Through the Wardrobe: Essays on C. S. Lewis's Chronicles of
Narnia

Call for Papers:

We are looking for essays dealing with various aesthetic, historical,
and philosophical aspects of C. S. Lewis's Chronicles of Narnia for
our proposed edited anthology, Through the Wardrobe: Essays on C. S.
Lewis's Chronicles of Narnia. While we are looking for scholarly
essays, our book is designed to appeal to both scholars and fans of
C.S. Lewis's Narnia novels, and we are thus hoping for intelligent
but clear and accessible writing. Given the perennial interest in
children's fantasy fiction including Lewis's series, the seeming rise
of interest in fantasy following the enormous success of J. K.
Rowling's Harry Potter series, the interesting cultural phenomenon of
C. S. Lewis's variable reputation among Christian communities in the
United States, the curious differences between the reception of Lewis
and the reception of Rowling, pertinent questions concerning the
psychological impact on children of fantasy fiction, and the recent
release of the enormously popular Disney/Walden film adaptation of
The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, we are confident that a
collection of scholarly essays focused on Lewis's children's series
will prove to be of broad interest; in fact, due to the success of
our recent Through the Wardrobe conference, we have already received
indications of interest from scholarly publishers. Potential essay
topics might include literary analysis of Lewis's series in
connection to its historical, philosophical, and literary antecedents
or analysis making use of critical lenses associated with cultural
studies. The collection might also include analyses of Lewis's
fantasy in relation to the current popularity of J. R. R. Tolkien's
and J. K. Rowling's works, or other pertinent fantasy.

Potential topics include

The connection of Lewis's Narnia books to other works of fantasy,
including works by Tolkien and Rowling
Issues of adaptation in the translation of Narnian Fiction into a
Spectacle of Film
Lewis's Ideas of Fantasy, Story, and Myth
The impact of Lewis's Christianity on the novels
Psychological Issues Involved in Reading the Novels, including the
impact of reading fantasy on children
Philosophical, Political, and Ethical Issues, including the depiction
of evil or the issues of colonialism, imperialism, sexism, and racism
Narnia seen through the lens of ethnic or gender studies, religious
studies, anthropology, sociology, psychology, folklore, etc.
The impact of Lewis's Friendships with Tolkien and the Inklings on
the novels
Narnian Predecessors and Narnian Influences
Narnia and Genre Considerations
Narnia and Audience Expectations
Narnia and Educational Theory
Narnia in the Context of Children's Literature
Narnia and the varied responses and controversies surrounding the
books

Proposals of 500-750 words or full essays of approximately 4,000-
5,000 words should be accompanied by a brief bio. Proposals must be
received via email by November 15, 2006 by Craig Svonkin at
svonkco_at_netzero.com. Questions are welcome.

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Received on Sat Sep 09 2006 - 11:48:59 EDT