CALL FOR BOOK CHAPTERS

Psychoanalyzing the Post-Apocalypse:

Psychoanalytic Approaches to 21st Century Fiction and Film

 “Under Strong Interest” by McFarland’s Critical Explorations in Science Fiction and Fantasy series

Editors’ Introduction

The term post-apocalypse evokes a haunting vision of life after catastrophe, where humanity must grapple with the consequences of global ruin. This genre, spanning literature, film, and other media, has captured our collective imagination by depicting worlds radically altered by disasters—be they natural, technological, or societal. Post-apocalyptic narratives often focus on survival, resilience, and the transformation of social order in the face of unimaginable loss (Collins 12-13). From barren landscapes and mutated ecosystems to crumbling urban ruins, these works reveal both the devastation left in the apocalypse's wake and the fundamental human drive to rebuild, adapt, and find meaning in desolation (Hicks 15).

At its core, the post-apocalyptic genre serves as a lens through which we examine our own anxieties, fears, and hopes for the future. Whether through tales of nuclear fallout, environmental collapse, or pandemics, these stories amplify concerns about modern civilization and humanity's impact on the planet. By exploring how societies might break down or transform under extreme conditions, post-apocalyptic narratives provide a space for grappling with questions of identity, morality, social responsibility and “generating meaning” (Horvat 24). They are key players in the composition of contemporary social practices and the shared understandings that underlie them. In that sense, they function as “sites of meaning production, made tangible through a complex web of discourses, histories, stories, images, narratives, and representations” (Stümer 3). As humans navigate the aftermath of catastrophe, they must confront what remains of their humanity in environments where traditional values and norms are often shattered. These narratives invite audiences to consider what they would do if faced with the unthinkable and to ponder what aspects of human nature might ultimately persist—or perish—in the world after the end (Berger 38).

We invite chapter proposals for an edited volume, Psychoanalyzing the Post-Apocalypse: Psychoanalytic Approaches to 21st Century Fiction and Film, which aims to explore post-apocalyptic literature and cinema through psychoanalytic frameworks. This volume seeks to probe the psychic, existential, and societal anxieties reflected in post-apocalyptic narratives, offering insight into how these works confront, distort, and reimagine the human psyche in the wake of global crises. By investigating 21st-century post-apocalyptic novels and films, we aim to capture the haunting portrayals of trauma, survival, memory, loss, and hope that resonate with contemporary psychological and social challenges.

This collection will apply psychoanalytic theory to a range of post-apocalyptic narratives, examining themes of survival, trauma, identity, desire, repression, and the unconscious as they manifest in worlds marked by environmental, societal, or technological collapse. Scholars are encouraged to explore these topics through the lenses of Freudian, Jungian, Lacanian, and contemporary psychoanalytic frameworks. Interdisciplinary approaches are welcome, especially those incorporating critical theory, film studies, literary studies, and cultural studies.

The chapters will be written in an argumentative rather than a descriptive style, so each chapter will come up with unique results/findings. The purpose of this book is not to describe post-apocalypse in 21st century fiction and films, but rather to discuss these narratives from a wide spectrum of theoretical arguments. The edited volume is planned to be published within the "Critical Explorations in Science Fiction and Fantasy" series of McFarland books. McFarland, an international and influential publishing company that has a strong reputation and influence in this field for many years.

Each chapter will consist of comprehensive and critical essays of at circa 5,000 - 6,000 words, including footnotes and references. The chapters will be written in MLA 8 format. Please select one of the proposed chapters below and send an abstract of at least 250 words (with five references that will guide the chapter) and a short author biography (150 words) to the editors.

The editors have framed the chapters as follows, but we welcome proposals that are creative and address different topics in this context.

Preface

Editors’ Introduction

Cenk Tan and Ercan Gürova

Part I - Post-Apocalyptic Novels:

1-Oryx and Crake (2003) - Margaret Atwood

2-War of the Worlds (2005) - Douglas Niles

3-The Road (2006) - Cormac McCarthy

4-The Stone Gods (2007) - Jeanette Winterson

5-Station Eleven (2014) - Emily St. John Mandel

6-The Ministry for the Future (2020) - Kim Stanley Robinson

Part II - Post-Apocalyptic Films:

7-Children of Men (2006) - Dir. Alfonso Cuarón

8-2012 (2009) - Dir. Roland Emmerich

9-The Hunger Games (2012-2023) - Dir. Gary Ross (2012), Dir. Francis Lawrence (2013-2023)

10-Elysium (2013) - Dir. Neill Blomkamp

11-Mad Max: Fury Road (2015) & Mad Max: Furiosa (2024) - Dir. George Miller

12-Vesper (2022) - Dir. Kristina Buožytė, Bruno Samper

Key Dates:

Deadline for abstract submission: May, 1, 2025

Deadline for chapter submission: September, 1, 2025

Anticipated publication date:  Early 2026

*At least one contributor for each chapter is required to hold a PhD.

(PhD candidates are welcome to submit.) 

Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have further questions.

Correspondence: psychoanalyzingpostapocalypse@gmail.com

Editors.

Cenk Tan and Ercan Gürova

References:

Berger, James. After the End. University of Minnesota Press, 1999.

Collins, John J. The Oxford Handbook of Apocalyptic Literature. Oxford University Press, 2014.

Hicks, Heather J. The Post-Apocalyptic Novel in the Twenty-First Century. Palgrave, 2016.

Horvat, Srecko. After the Apocalypse. Polity, 2021.

Stümer, Jenny. “Understanding Apocalyptic Transformation”. Worlds Ending. Ending Worlds. Eds. Jenny Stümer and Michael Dunn. De Gruyter Oldenbourg, 2024.