Media and Posthumanism: Narrative Exploration in Film, Television, and Literature (Call for Book chapters)
Event: Call for Book chapters
In recent decades, the rapid acceleration of technological advancements and concomitant societal transformations have precipitated a burgeoning interest in posthumanist themes within media narratives. This intellectual movement challenges traditional conceptions of human identity, existence, and agency, thereby reconfiguring our understanding of what it means to be human in a technologically intertwined world.
Posthumanism offers a nuanced critique of humanism, questioning anthropocentric worldviews and embracing a broader spectrum of beings and existences. As a theoretical framework, it encompasses a diverse range of perspectives, from the integration of technology with the human body to the emergence of artificial intelligence and beyond. This thematic exploration has found fertile ground in film, television, and literature, media forms that provide a rich tapestry for examining the complex interplay between humanity and technology.
Through the lens of posthumanism, media narratives interrogate the boundaries between the human and the non-human, the organic and the inorganic, and the natural and the artificial. Films, television series, and literary works serve as critical sites for reflecting on the ethical, philosophical, and existential implications of a posthuman future. They delve into the redefinition of identity, the transformation of social relations, and the potential for new forms of consciousness and agency.
In film, the posthuman condition is often explored through narratives that depict the symbiotic relationship between humans and technology, challenging the viewer to reconsider preconceived notions of subjectivity and autonomy. Television series similarly engage with these themes, offering serialized narratives that allow for in-depth exploration of posthuman identities and societies. Literature, with its capacity for introspection and abstract thought, provides a fertile ground for imagining posthuman possibilities and critiquing contemporary humanist assumptions.
Thus, posthumanism as an intellectual movement and thematic focus in media narratives compels us to rethink the essence of humanity in an era of technological convergence and societal flux. By interrogating and expanding the boundaries of human experience, posthumanism offers profound insights into the evolving relationship between humans and the rapidly changing technological landscape. This proposal seeks to compile scholarly manuscripts for an upcoming publication that rigorously examines how posthumanism manifests and is interpreted across these diverse media forms, inviting critical insights and analyses.
Objective
We invited a call for book chapters for a forthcoming edited volume on “Media and Posthumanism: Narrative Exploration in Film, Television, and Literature.” This call for chapters seeks to assemble a comprehensive collection of scholarly works that meticulously examine the manifestations and interpretations of posthumanism across diverse media forms, encompassing film, television, and literature. The objective is to curate critical insights and analyses that elucidate the multifaceted ways posthumanist themes are represented, interrogated, and understood within contemporary cultural contexts. Contributions are expected to offer rigorous and nuanced examinations of how posthumanism is articulated, contested, and conceptualized, thereby enhancing our understanding of its impact on and reflection within modern media landscapes.
Themes
We seek original manuscripts that critically engage with posthumanism in media, emphasizing the following thematic areas:
· Historical Development: Evolution of posthumanist themes in popular culture, focusing on film and television.
· Philosophical Underpinnings: Media representations reflecting and interpreting posthumanist philosophy.
· Cultural and Social Implications: Societal impacts of posthumanist depictions in media, including human identity, ethics, and societal norms.
· Future Projections: Media portrayals envisioning potential futures in a posthumanist world.
· Media Intersections: Posthumanism across literature, video games, virtual reality, and other narrative forms.
· Symbiotic Relationships: Relationships between humans, non-humans, and the natural environment in media.
· Posthumanism and Identity Politics
· Cyborg and Hybrid Identities
· Posthuman Approaches: Study of games, television, social media, journalism, and rhetoric.
· Posthuman Ethics in Media Politics
· Inclusive Posthumanism
· Ecological Posthumanism
· AI in Media Narratives
· Environment and the Anthropocene
· Genetic Modifications and Prosthetics
· Cyberpunk Aesthetics
· Technological Dystopias and Utopias
· Interdisciplinary Approaches in Posthumanism
We are particularly interested in chapters that propose novel methodologies for investigation and analysis within media studies.
Submission Guidelines
Please submit your abstract (max. 500 words), including a tentative title, 4-6 keywords mentioning your study’s objectives, research questions, methodology and relevance and a short author biography (max. 100 words) via email to anupriya2621@gmail.com by September 10, 2024.
Review Process:
All submitted abstracts will be initially reviewed by the guest editors to ensure relevance to the theme of the book. Authors of selected abstracts will be invited to submit full papers, which will then undergo a peer-review process and be published by Palgrave macmillan.
Submission Timeline:
Abstract Submission Deadline: September 10, 2024 (Extended)
Notification of selected abstracts: September 30, 2024
Full Paper for Peer Review (5000-8,000 words, excluding footnotes and references) Deadline: December 10, 2024
Publication of Book: October 2025 (Tentatively)
Anupama