Accio Call for Papers

[Ali]

All this talk about meeting up again means that I'm sure you'll all 
want to meet each other for longer next year during the Accio 
conference! Anyway, we're now accepting abstracts and completed 
conference papers for Accio.

I hope to see you all there next year!

Ali

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Accio 2005
University of Reading, UK
July 29-31, 2005

Call for Papers

Accio UK is aimed at both academics and adult fans
of the Harry Potter series.  The Programming
Committee is therefore inviting proposals from both
sectors for presentations, moderated panels, debates
and workshops on any topic relating to the Harry
Potter phenomenon.

Suggested Topics for Presentations, Panels and
Workshops

Topics may include, but are certainly not limited
to:

- Characterisation   Archetypal yet unconventional
 or merely one-dimensional stereotypes?  The scope
 here is enormous, and papers are welcomed on
 individual/group character studies or thematic
 overviews.

- Religious Studies:  Religious and spiritual
 responses and interpretations of the series.

- Social Issues, including
  Gender Studies: the role of women in the Harry
  Potter Series.

- Race Relations in HP:  Real and analogous
  Class portrayal:  A pretence of meritocracy?

- Legal Issues:  The Legal System, Government and
  Justice in the Wizarding World.

- Comparative Studies:  Areas of interest within
  this area include:

  Religion.  How various religious groups use the
  series and how this compares with treatment of other
  fantasy series by authors such as CS Lewis, Tolkien,
  Philip Pullman.

  The phenomenon and appeal of Cross-Over
  literature (e.g., Philip Pullman's His Dark
  Materials trilogy), and the serious life issues this
  recently classified genre frequently explores.

- Mythopoeia, Etymology and other sources of
  inspiration:  How appreciation of JK Rowling's use
  of "what has gone before" is important to our
  understanding of the series.

- Education:  The inclusion of the Harry Potter
  series in curricula (from primary education through
  to graduate studies) and dealing with the issues
  involved.  For example, for those educating
  pre-teens, the treatment of death in the series.

  An Educator's perspective on teaching in the
  Wizarding World.

- The Heroic Quest:  What makes a Hero?  Could
  include discussion of predestination and the idea of
  the "Chosen One" and the much stressed concept of individual  
choice.

 - Alchemy and Symbolism:  The search for the
   Philosopher's Stone, Hidden Meanings within the
   text, and other Gnostic Elements.

 - Concepts of Power:  The Battle between Good and
   Evil and the controversial depiction of "grey"
   areas.

-  Fandom Concerns:  May include:

   Battles with Interpretation, including character
   portrayal and their potential relationships in the
   series (and beyond):
 
   Fanfiction and Intellectual Property issues.

   Reinventing the Series:  The relationship between a continuing 
series and the fanfiction community Reclaiming the Canon:  JK 
Rowling's relationship with the online fandom community.


 Time Blocks

 Two concurrent tracks will run over two days of
 programming.  Time blocks in multiples of 30 minutes
 will be available:  proposals should therefore
 specify the estimated amount of time required for
 the presentation, and should also indicate how much 
 time allowance should be made for post-talk
 discussion/ Q&A sessions.


 Submissions
 Deadline:  31st December 2004
 Proposals should be either an abstract (500 word
 max) or a completed conference paper (4,000 word max). We are
 accepting e-mail submissions only, and any
 attachments should be in Microsoft Word.

 Please send to the following address, including
"Accio 2005 Proposal Submission" in the subject
 line.  Submissions @ accio.org.uk.

 Selected Presenters will be notified by week ending
 31st January, 2005, and will be expected to register
 for the conference when confirming that they will be
 present.  Presenters are expected to submit a
 conference paper for publication in the Proceedings
 by 21st June 2005. This paper should be no
 greater than 4,000 words. Please note that
 publication in the Proceedings will be dependent
 upon attendance.

 Attendees

 All presenters and participants must be at least 18
 years of age, as Accio is an adults-only event.


 Disclaimers

 Accio UK is an unofficial event and is not endorsed
 by JK Rowling or her representatives, Warner Bros.,
 or the Harry Potter book publishers.