Please follow the link to a CFP for Realizing Resistance: An
Interdisciplinary Conference on Star Wars, Episodes VII, VIII & IX
<https://na01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fdigital-frontiers.org%2Fresistance%2F&data=02%7C01%7Cdxf19%40psu.edu%7C13a3e0fc3e284b13a13408d612827336%7C7cf48d453ddb4389a9c1c115526eb52e%7C0%7C0%7C636716748819570671&sdata=Uke47JHGUpbG9RDQioYx%2B3IxyPE0rNUSqLS7%2BW7FPPU%3D&reserved=0>. Feminist, women’s studies,
critical race theory, and queer theory papers particularly welcome!
Sam Langsdale
UNT Philosophy & Religion
An Interdisciplinary Conference on *Star Wars*, Episodes VII, VIII & IX
May 2–4, 2019, University of North Texas, Denton, TX, USA
*Call for Papers:*
Although *Star Wars: Episode IV–A New Hope* may have started out on shaky
ground, its cinematic release in 1977 forever changed the landscape of
American pop culture. As Douglas Brode has argued, “*Star Wars*, simply
put, had turned out to be not merely the latest momentary blip on the
entertainment screen but an essential element of how we define ourselves
through the movies and related media” (2012, 7). Far from simply reflecting
a particular film genre, *Star Wars *has become a cultural phenomenon that
has impacted pop culture for over four decades.
Throughout the original trilogy, the prequels, and most recently the
sequels, the films have focused on the struggle between Imperial forces and
rebellious fighters who seek to throw off the yoke of an authoritarian
regime. In the opening crawl of *Episode VII–The Force Awakens*, we are
told that the Resistance, led by General Leia Organa, is fighting against
the First Order so that peace and justice may be restored to the galaxy.
This conference seeks to critically explore what it means to be “with the
Resistance” by focusing on Episodes VII, VIII, and (to the extent possible)
IX, as well as the various ways these films reflect, contribute to, or even
fail to show “how we define ourselves through the movies and related
media.” In other words, this conference aims to bring together scholars
from across disciplines to examine the three most recent *Star Wars* films
as cultural texts, with an explicit focus on themes of resistance and
justice, and on how these films contribute to, reflect, or depart from
broader contemporary cultural practices and social discourses.
[image: leia_poster]We are interested in, for example, the paradox inherent
in certain fan criticisms of *Episode VII–The Last Jedi* as “social justice
propaganda,” in light of the enduring theme of resistance and justice
throughout the film franchise. We seek to analyze what it means for *Star
Wars *slogans to be used on posters at contemporary political rallies, in
what ways, and by whom. We want to ask how Episodes VII, VIII & IX might be
productively used in a classroom to teach students about various concepts
of justice, or about histories of social resistance movements. We want to
pose critical questions about cultural appropriation and Orientalism in the
most recent films and throughout the franchise. We also want to explore
what limitations there may be in attempting to theorize about and practice
resistance to hegemonic power in relation to a film franchise owned by one
of the most powerful and successful corporations in our contemporary
capitalist economy.
Scholars may analyze any one of the three sequels, or some combination of
them. While we are aware that Episode IX will not be released until
December, we have included it here in order to give interested participants
the opportunity to reflect on trailers, the marketing in the lead-up to the
cinematic release, or even to include analysis of the film itself by the
time of the conference. Further, because the most recent films are part of
the larger franchise, we welcome (and would even expect) papers that put
Episodes VII, VIII & IX in dialogue with any other *Star Wars *films.
Finally, in addition to the films themselves, papers may engage with any
media related to the sequels including comics, animated series, SW fiction,
merchandise, advertising, or other types of social media.
And so, we invite all interested participants to join us in thinking about
the themes of resistance to hegemony, justice, and the restoration of peace
in Episodes VII, VIII & IX and how these films reflect, contribute to, or
depart from wider social discourses and cultural phenomena. In analyzing
“the Resistance,” in the films and beyond, paper proposals, in the form of
250-word abstracts, may address—but are not limited to—any of the following
topics:
– Generational differences or continuities
– Sexualities
– Models of friendship
– Human relationships with technology
– The role of the Environment/non-human animals/creatures
– The role of women
– The role of people of color
– The role of children/young people
– Ambiguity around “good guys” and “bad guys” in social conflicts
– Family/found family/lineage/heritage
– Class hierarchies
– Cultural appropriation and Orientalism
– Heroism through necessity
– Digital Scholarship and New Media Studies interventions
– The significance of names/naming
– The use of humor
– Clothing/fashion/color motifs
– Religion/belief/ritual
– Icons/symbols
– Hope
– Languages
– Teaching
As aca-fans it is our hope that this conference is both a celebration of
the films, and the broader culture engendered by the *Star Wars *franchise,
as well as an opportunity to engage in constructively critical analysis. We
welcome scholars from any discipline, employing any methodology, however in
the spirit of the conference theme, we request that all papers avoid
racism, sexism, ableism, classism, homophobia, transphobia, and religious
bigotry. Accepted participants will be invited to present their 20-minute
papers, or to exhibit their work, at a two-and-a-half-day interdisciplinary
conference at the University of North Texas in Denton. To submit a paper
proposal, please *submit this form
<https://na01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fgoo.gl%2Fforms%2FEXVIyx74BaToVNyC3&data=02%7C01%7Cdxf19%40psu.edu%7C13a3e0fc3e284b13a13408d612827336%7C7cf48d453ddb4389a9c1c115526eb52e%7C0%7C0%7C636716748819570671&sdata=3K1WIJFncF%2BJX6p7DP2xVnSaR%2F1x1UEoBWoFnlZh67A%3D&reserved=0>* with
the following information:
– Name, institutional affiliation, email address of corresponding author
and all co-authors (if applicable)
– 250-word abstract
– Short bio
*Dates and Deadlines*
Submission Deadline: November 15, 2018
Notifications: January 5, 2019
Conference Dates: May 2–4, 2019
If you have questions please contact resistance@digital-frontiers.org.
