“OutSourced”

Specs is a journal of contemporary culture and arts at Rollins College that aims to create sympathetic interfaces between artistic and critical practices.

The editors invite submissions of critical and/or creative work for the 5th volume on the theme of “OutSourced.” To be “OutSourced” is to be engaged firmly in the contest between the local and the global, the micro and the macro. Outsourcing can be an act (by an individual, company, or organization) to purchase (goods) or subcontract (services) from an outside supplier or source. The implications of outsourcing however, move from mere economic deliberation to spiritual contemplation. What are the "sources" that we move "out"? Does this process echo revolutions engineered in ourselves and our environment, a new colonialism commodifying people, ideas, and time or is the notion of civilized North and an archaic South meaningless mistaken misguided? Are Diasporas (rooted in everything from biological fact to personal acts) so vast the “sources” are and have been longed exposed? We seek works of fiction, non-fiction, cultural criticism, historical inflection/reflection, art, poetry, photography, film, digital @#($*, and pieces that blur boundaries unnamed and unknown that challenge the collective and redefine our reality.

Some Sourcing:

-Art_ / Eastern / Western / Visual/ Textual / Digital
-The Body / Physical / Political / Conditional
-Cities_ Urban / Dystopian / Utopian
-Country_ Rural / Agricultural / Rogue
-States_ Fugue / Failed / Folly
-Nations_ State / Race /
-Regions_ Asian / European / African / Pan
-Streets_ Paved/ Public / Private / Undefined
-Technology_ Biological / Mobile / Nuclear / Solar / Wind
-Communities_ Planned / Virtual / Imaginary
-Leisure_ Consumption / Expulsion / Waste
-Environment_ Manmade / Natural / Endangered / Sacred
-Spectacle_ Mediated / Public / Private
-Imagination_ Science fiction / Fantasy / Speculative / Memoir
-Religion_ Animism / Hinduism / Buddhism / Judaism / Christianity / Islam
-Sport_ Rugby / Soccer / Basketball / Cricket / Baseball / Cycling / Formula 1 / Olympics
-Sound_ Classical / Jazz / Techno / Hip Hop / Funk / Punk

The editorial board consists of writers and academics from various fields. We are looking for detail, fragments, narratives, meta-narratives, and more from scholars from all fields. The editors are interested in works that examine deep time, contemporary culture and/or cross the critical/creative divide while investigating sources in and out.