The Society for Cinema and Media Studies’ Video Game Studies Scholarly Interest Group invites all game scholars to propose papers on game studies and related topics for the SCMS 2015 conference, Wednesday, March 25th to Sunday, March 29th at the Queen Elizabeth Hotel in Montreal. Information about the general call for papers can be found here: http://www.cmstudies.org/?page=call_for_submissions
In order to encourage game-related submissions to SCMS, the VGSSIG will be compiling a list of pre-constituted panels and workshops looking for participants. Using the subject line “SCMS 2015,” please send your panel topic, a description, a deadline for submissions, and your contact info no later than Friday, July 18th to scms.vgssig@gmail.com.
We also encourage organizers to post their panel calls on the VGSSIG message board, where a “SCMS 2015 CFP” category will be created for this purpose.
Panel topics might include, but are not limited to:
Age and ability in games
Animation and games
Avatar studies
Class in games
Close readings of specific games
Code studies
Feminist game studies
Games and other media (film, television, comic books, music, etc.)
Gaming cultures and subcultures
Gender and sexuality in games
Humor, comedy and games
Indie and alternative games
Interactivity and games
Platform studies
Queer game studies
Race and ethnicity in games
Software studies
Teaching game studies
The game industry and labor
Transmedia studies
Video game history
Video game theory
Virtual worlds and environments
Once we have collected the proposed panel topics, we will circulate the full list of proposed panels among our membership and on game studies listservs, no later than July 21st. In the event of overlapping panel topics, we will notify the organizers prior to distributing the CFP so that they may join up if they so choose.
It will be up to panel organizers to notify all applicants as to whether their paper proposals have been accepted by August 18th so that unsuccessful applicants may choose to submit proposals to the general call.
IMPORTANT NOTE: The VGSSIG is not responsible for submitting proposals to SCMS, and is not involved in the review process. Panel organizers must submit their panels via the SCMS Application Portal (http://scms.onlineapplicationportal.com/) before the final deadline of August 29th in order to be considered.
Once SCMS has vetted the applications and announced which panels have been accepted to the conference, the VGSSIG can sponsor up to 8 game-related panels, which will be highlighted in the program.
We hope that this process helps panel organizers find the best-suited participants, and encourages current and future VGSSIG members to submit their work to the conference.
