|
Michael Jackson, the fall of the Berlin Wall, Reaganomics, crack cocaine, the AIDS epidemic, MTV, the successful nomination of Justice Sandra Day O’Connor and Tiananmen Square are just a few noteworthy events that are representative of the 1980s. Of course this list is not exhaustive and could fill several scholarly volumes should one desire to compile such texts.
We are currently seeking completed works or chapter proposals for one edited volume entitled, The 1980s: A Critical and Transitional Decade? This edited volume places its topics within the context that the 1980s as a decade could be seen as both critical and transitional following the activist 1960s and free-spirited 1970s. This does not simply mean highlighting the significance of the period, but rather demonstrating how so many apparently disparate events were in fact closely inter-related and also products of their specific age. This holistic analysis of the decade will focus on major turning points, developments in literature, art, entertainment, politics, lifestyle, and social activism. This volume cannot be all-inclusive and is not intended to be a chronicle of the 1980s. What it will do is explore the 1980s as a phenomenon exhibiting its significance to the American landscape.
It is now almost twenty years since the end of the 1980s, giving us some perspective on this intriguing decade. Given that there are very few scholarly works that examine the events of the 1980s within the context of a critical decade, this edited volume will be a groundbreaking and a stand-alone introductory text. Given as well the eclectic nature of the topics discussed, it will appeal to those scholars and upper-level students interested in greater cross-disciplinary scholarship and who desire to explore American culture through the holistic lens of a particular decade. We anticipate the accepted chapters will also highlight the contribution of this decade to contemporary American society.
We invite completed works (20-25 pages) or chapter proposals (3-5 pages) in the following thematic and topical areas:
• centering the 1980s as a decade of significance for myriad of events, occurrences, and changes to our society;
• across disciplines including, but not restricted to, American Studies, communication, cultural studies, finance/economics, media studies, film studies, history, political science, sociology, literature, LGBT and women’s studies;
• highlighting key events in the arts and entertainment world such as the creation of the fourth television network, FOX, as well as the literature that influenced and changed our understanding of this decade;
• exploring the multitude of events that motivated our youth, caused political strife, and exposed America to a new set of social ills;
• discussing the role of American culture in a global context and/or addressing our intercultural relations, domestically and abroad;
• investigating this decade within the constraints of the conservative politics of Reagan and the prosperity that followed, including works on financial markets, labor issues, and exorbitant commodification of products
Submissions should be postmarked no later than July 15th. Please send an electronic copy of your submission to both individuals list below:
Dr. Kimberly R. Moffitt
kmoffitt@umbc.edu
410.455.1451
Dr. Duncan Campbell
campbe@umbc.edu
410.455.2106
Participants will be notified of paper’s status no later than August 15th. Completed papers will then be due by November 15th. Should you have questions about the proposed book or the submissions process, please contact either of the co-editors.
|
