Call for Papers 2026

Deadline: February 28th 2026

Theme: Gender and Supernatural

“You should be women, And yet your beards forbid me to interpret That you are so.” Macbeth 1.3.46-47

In the early modern period the concept of gender was employed to serve the ideals of the patriarchy. Both men and women had to abide by rigid frameworks of masculinity and femininity to conform with those gender standards. This was especially true for women who were seen as “more open, more grotesque, less autonomous” (Purkiss 171), and were primarily defined by the social function to “beare children, and guide the house” (Downame 38).

However, the supernatural operated beyond the bounds of society and was not beholden to any singular definition of gender. This is apparent with Prospero, Shakespeare’s sorcerer, who challenges conventional masculinities by assuming the traditionally feminine role of mother and domestic caretaker. This collection will consider how variations of supernatural conform to, influence, oppose and completely negate early modern concepts of gender.

Topics may include, but are not limited to:

• Deviancy, Opposition and Nonconformity
• Gender Anxieties/Crisis and the Supernatural
• Gender Deviancy and the Colonial Other
• Genderless and Ambiguously Gendered Supernatural (Witches, spirits, fairies, etc.)
• Hauntings/Spirits and Repression
• Motherhood, Children, and The Home
• Queerness and the Supernatural
• Sexuality and the Supernatural
• Supernatural and Masculinity
• Supernatural and Femininity
• Transformations of Gender and Traditional Gender Roles

We invite research articles from different scholarly disciplines that examine the theme of gender and supernatural within the scope of the early modern period (c. 1450 - 1700). We especially welcome contributions from grad students and early career researchers to be considered for the first issue of this peer-reviewed e-journal.

Submission Guidelines: send an abstract of 200–300 words along with a brief biography to earlymodernsocietycfp@gmail.com by February 28th 2026. Successful applications will be informed and an article of 5000-6000 words will be due by May 29th 2026 to undergo an anonymous peer review process.

https://emslimerick.wordpress.com/journal-early-modern-society/