Sci-Fi Special Issue

deadline for submissions: 
June 29, 2024
full name / name of organization: 
The Classical Connection
contact email: 

Call for Papers: 

Special Issue: “Vol. 2 No. 1, Sci-Fi’s Narratives of Possibilities and Probabilities” 

The Classical Connection (ISSN 2994-9262 Online)

 

Overview:

The wildly prolific and influential science fiction author Philip K. Dick once discussed writing about worlds which were like ours in all ways but one – time moving differently, people born with foresight, and so on. Sci-fi is a medium which often describes reality as it could be, while also having a compelling ability to describe how it is. In fact, it may be (as Dick seemed to think) that these sorts cultural observations are built into the genre itself.

Modernism was marked by its idealistic views and has often been described as optimistic. The rapid and dramatic changes in markets, technology, and warfare changed cultures in equally rapid and dramatic ways. In Western countries, this would eventually lead to a growing distrust of the promises of Modernity, and often an eye toward a stark realism. Out of this environment, sci-fi would emerge and grow. Over time, it has only become larger, more influential, and more integrated into culture. 

For the 3rd issue of The Classical Connection, we are seeking submissions which explore the philosophical concepts of idealism and realism as they are present within sci-fi. A helpful lens to view these concepts – or the transition between them – is “immediacy,” which seems to have had no small role in the rapid cultural shifts which led to sci-fi.

Potential areas of exploration include (but are not limited to): 

  • How does the mission of Starfleet hold up against the complex challenges waiting throughout the final frontier in Star Trek?
  • An exploration of how the alternate history of The Man in the High Castle juxtaposes the grim “realities” of life under totalitarian regimes with the idealistic undercurrent of a resistance movement.
  •  The complex tension between transcendent values and immediate concerns during the corruption of Jedi in Star Wars.

Submission Guidelines:

Submissions should present well-argued, engaging essays ranging from 3500-4500 words. We encourage contributions from a broad spectrum of disciplines and perspectives that resonate with the issue's theme.

 

  • Accessible Scholarship:
    • We encourage a writing style that is both accessible and compelling. For specifics, refer to our guide.

Publication Timeline:

  • Contribution deadline: June 29
  • Editorial review completed: June 30
  • Peer review process:
    • Reviewers contacted: June 30
    • Reviewers selected: July 1
    • Block 1 Review: July 1-7
    • Block 2 Review: July 8-14
  • Reviews returned: July 15
  • Author revisions due: August 1
  • Final editorial review: August 8
    • Note: timeline may be adjusted if major changes are required.
  • Copyediting/proofreading: August 15
  • Author proof approval: August 22
  • Final publication: September 1

Submission:

Visit the call for submissions page https://classicalconnection.pubpub.org/vol-2-no1-sci-fis-narratives-of-p...