Reminder - CFP: Ecocinema and its audiences

From: Pietari Kääpä <[email protected]>

Call for Papers

 *Ecocinema and its audiences*

Special issue of *Interactions: Studies in Communications and
Culture*(published by Intellect UK)

Edited by Pietari Kääpä

 Ecocinema is rapidly emerging as a key field in contemporary film studies.
Books, conferences and articles are frequently devoted to the topic which
is receiving increasing global scholarly attention. While writers have
published work on specific national cinemas (the US and China in
particular) and on modes of industrial production (new media; animation),
much work remains to be done to ensure the dynamic development of the field
and its ability to consolidate itself as a new vital paradigm in film
studies.

One such area is the study of audiences. Media scholars have conducted
important studies of audience reception of specific films (*The Day After
Tomorrow* in particular) in specific viewing contexts. Others have focused
on reception studies in a metacritical vein, assessing the ways cinematic
ecological and environmental messages are debated and adopted in wider
media discourse. But in comparison to ideological textual analysis of films
or work on the material footprint of film production and distribution,
audience studies are notably lagging behind.

‘Ecocinema and its audiences’ proposes to be the first of its kind as a
collection of critical perspectives discussing the ways audiences adapt,
assimilate, critique, reject and discuss ecological and environmental
messages in cinema. This collection is open to approaches undertaking
pedagogical, political, culturalist, cognitive, philosophical, scientific or
virtual studies of film culture (and their inevitable overlap). We
encourage submissions in any of the following areas (and welcome
suggestions in others):

-          Transnational audiences
-          Green networks and ecocinema blogs
-          Festival audiences (especially Ecocinema Festival etc.)
-          Fan community discussion of ecological aspects in The Lord of
the Rings, Star Wars etc.
-          Environmental education and film
-          The uses of ecocinema in schools
-          Cinematic representations of activist groups and their reception
-          Critical reception of mainstream ecocinema
-          Local or regional audiences
-          Community engagement
-          Uses of film by environmental justice movements
-          Propaganda and its audiences
-          Greenwashing and the anti-environmentalist agenda
-          Political uses of ecocinema (ie. the mobilization of films as
tools for social critique)
-          Ecocinema’s influence on policy decisions

Please contact Dr. Pietari Kääpä ([email protected]) to discuss your
submission. Paper proposals of 250 words and professional academic
bibliography are to be sent to the above address by 31th May2012.

‘Ecocinema and its audiences’ emphasises original peer reviewed research on
audiences. Considering the resources and time this takes, we are requesting
final paper submissions by February 2013.

Best regards

Pietari Kääpä