Acknowledging that gaming acts as a key – and heavily contested — site of subject formation in the lives of those who play, we are soliciting explorations of the gendered practices enacted in relation to games and gaming technologies. In doing so, we hope to provide a comprehensive (though by no means exhaustive) account of the increasingly significant roles gaming plays in the reproduction, and possible subversion, of contemporary regimes of gender-based power.
We are seeking chapter contributors for a “trilogy” of edited volumes that collect and curate previously unpublished scholarship looking at gender and games. We envision three volumes: one each on femininity, masculinity and genderqueer identities, respectively.
In particular, we are concerned with theoretically-grounded explorations of the following:
● the relationships — identification, idealization, appropriation, negotiation, rejection, contestation, etc — between representations/performances of gender in games and their uptake in gaming practices and cultures;
● the gendered dynamics and communicative practices of cultures coalescing around particular games and gaming pursuits;
● the historical and/or contemporary processes by which gaming technologies (platforms, peripherals, software, etc) become (dis)associated with particular subject positions;
● gendered patterns of privilege and inequity that characterize gaming-related labor, including (but not limited to) game production, modding, e-sports, and spectatorship;
● the persistent and limiting dichotomization of gender in gaming-related texts, discourses and practices;
● the intersections of gender and other systems of oppression, such as race, sexuality, ability, age, and socio-economic status, with regards to any of these above facets.
Contributions from all academic disciplines and geographic regions are invited, and emerging and unaffiliated scholars are encouraged as the trilogy aims to bring different voices and perspectives into conversation. However, the audience of the work is academic and scholarly style and rigor are expected. To that end, all chapters will undergo peer review and willingness to accept criticism and undertake revisions is necessary. Also note that we can ensure double blind peer-review of your chapter if requested, but, we also ask that each chapter contributor be willing to peer-review one other chapter submitted to the trilogy to help expedite this.
For consideration, please email an abstract of 250 – 500 words and a short bio statement of no more than 100 words to the editors at (gender.games.trilogy@gmail.com) no later than October 15. The abstract should provide a clear summary of the proposed chapter’s thesis and outline of its structure. Indicate which volume of the trilogy you are submitting to in the subject line of your email.
Complete chapter drafts will be due February 1, 2016 and should be no more than 6000 words (including notes and references) and use the Chicago Manual of Style author-date system (http://www.chicagomanualofstyle.org/home.html) for references.
All contributions must be the original work of the author and cannot be published elsewhere. For co-authored works, all authors must agree to the submission of the chapter.
Questions and inquiries can be sent to (gender.games.trilogy@gmail.com).
