Reimagining the Gothic 2016: Monsters and Monstrosities

Sheffield Gothic is pleased to announce its new 2016 conference and showcase event: 

Reimagining the Gothic: Monsters and Monstrosities 

Reimagining the Gothic is an ongoing project that seeks to explore how the Gothic can be re-read, re-analysed, and re-imagined.  We encourage both public interest and new academic avenues from students and scholars who wish to present on the Gothic using interdisciplinary and creative methods. In particular, 'monsters' and the ways in which monstrosity continues to affect Gothic discourses is an important space for academic and creative exploration. With Reimagining the Gothic: Monsters and Monstrosities we hope to reconsider notions of monstrousness, to explore how the idea of the monster has morphed over the decades, and to question its place within the Gothic. 

As part of a two day long event to be centred on theme of ‘Monsters and Monstrosities’, following the incredible response we got for the last event, Sheffield Gothic will be holding a day-long symposium on Friday the 6th of May, 2016. The symposium is open to all postgraduates and early career researchers of any field and joint interdisciplinary papers are most welcome. We are inviting the submission of abstracts for papers, which should be no more than 200 words, to be sent to Sheffield Gothic at reimagininggoth15@gmail.com. The deadline for submissions is 8th February 2016. 

As Reimagining the Gothic is a project that seeks to encourage new and unique thoughts about the Gothic, we will consider any and all submissions related to symposiums focus. 

 Topics may include, but are not limited to:

·     Material monsters / monstrous objects

·         Depictions of monsters and monstrosity in contemporary media

·         Monstrousness and modern/pop culture

·         Monster movies

·         Postmodern monsters, monsters and modernity

·         The psychology of monstrosity

·         Social monsters / monsters and society

·         Political monsters / monstrosity in politics

·         Performing monstrosity

·         Monstrous buildings / monsters and architecture

·         Monsters and gender

·         Monsters throughout history / historical monsters

·         Folklore and monsters

·         Local histories

·         Monsters and myths

Sheffield Gothic will also be holding a day-long creative showcase of art and interactive activities on Saturday the 7th of May, 2016. We are inviting all range of creative submissions to display during the event. As Reimagining the Gothic is a project that seeks to encourage new and unique thoughts about the Gothic, we will consider any and all submissions related to the focus. 

The showcase aims to encourage both public interests in Gothic by using creative and interactive methods, as well as new academic avenues. Projects for Reimagining the Gothic: Monsters and Monstrosities should reconsider notions of monstrousness, to explore how the idea of the monster has morphed over the decades, to question its place within the Gothic and the way in which society considers ‘monstrousness’.

The nature of the event means that the criteria for submissions are extremely open. 

However suggestions for projects include:

·         Photographic series

·         Storytelling and creative writing

·         Interactive children’s activies

·         Music and composition

·         Costume and cosplay

·         Artistic reimagining’s of classic monsters

·         Dramatic pieces and displays

·         Film and video

Abstracts for submissions should be emailed to reimagininggoth15@gmail.com. The deadline for submissions is 7th March 2016.

The nature of the event means that the criteria for submissions is extremely open, though preferable in keeping with the yearly theme. Papers could focus on the Gothic’s relationship with/ influence upon/ development through the following disciplines:

·         Film Studies and Media

·         Science and the History of Science

·         Archaeology

·         Landscape

·         Architecture

·         Theology and Biblical Studies

·         Music

·         Gender Studies

·         History

·         East Asian Studies

These are, however, simply suggestions. We hope to make the symposium as diverse as possible, and so submissions of all natures are welcome. If you are interested, please submit an abstract of 200 words to reimagininggoth15@gmail.com by February 8th 2016.