Call for Papers for a Steampunk Anthology

[JAT]

We are seeking contributors for a collection of critical essays on Steampunk. Steampunk remains an elusive topic even among its admirers and practitioners, but at its heart, it re-imagines the Victorian age in the future, and re-works its technology, fashion, and values with a dose of anti-modernism. From sci-fi and fantasy to websites catering to a Steampunk lifestyle, this multi-faceted genre demands greater scholarly analysis.
The editors of this anthology seek contributions in the following suggested subject areas:

    Steampunk Film Steampunk Literature
    Steampunk History Steampunk Fashion
    Steampunk Technology Steampunk Fandom/fan culture
    Steampunk Art & Design Steampunk as Culture/Lifestyle
    Gender and Steampunk Critiques of existing analyses of Steampunk

Submission Guidelines: Send a 1000 word abstract in Microsoft Word by email attachment on or before August 15, 2011; include a brief biography or vita. International submissions are welcomed and encouraged. Abstracts chosen for inclusion in the anthology will be considered “conditional acceptances” – the editors will secure the submission in the volume, but the editors reserve the right to reject any full essay that does not meet the standards (of style/content, etc) agreed to between the editors and authors. Endnotes are mandatory; illustrations are encouraged and must be secured (along with permissions) by the author and submitted with the final draft.

Editors:
Dr. Julie Anne Taddeo
History Dept., University of Maryland
Email: taddeo@mail.umd.edu

Dr. Cynthia Miller
Institute for Liberal Arts, Emerson College
cynthia_miller@emerson.edu

Dr. Ken Dvorak
Distance Education, Northern New Mexico College
Email: krdvorak@nnmc.edu

[The Abiliegh]

This may, perhaps, be better suited to the Textual section of the forum. You're not likely to get many reads tucked away here in the corner.

To what purpose are you gathering these essays? As there is a collection of professors apparently involved, I'm also inclined to ask what direction of study is this being geared towards? All in all, more information as to "why" would be helpful, as right now, this looks like a cleverly disguised ploy to have us write a thesis for you. I'm not accusing, mind you, but it was the very first thought that crossed my mind when I read this.

[JAT]

Thank you for your suggestion.  I hadn't even thought that someone might perecive the CFP in that way (and I am a professor-- I should be more in tuned to the devious minds of students!).  I and my colleagues are putting together a collection of critical essays on Steampunk-- there has been some scholarly attention devoted to the topic (see 2010's issue of Neo-Victorian Studies-- an on-line journal), but we think an edited collection is long overdue.  We previously published an edited collection on reality TV-- The Tube Has Spoken (if you want to check out our credentials).  I will post elsewhere-- so thanks again for your input--JAT