Tag Archives: Deletion

Deletion Special Episode CFP Doctor Who: “…definitely a madman with a box!”

Deletion, the open access online forum in science fiction studies, is calling for original contributions for a special themed ‘episode’ on Doctor Who. Following the 50th anniversary celebrations the return of the Time Lord later this year. What new directions are possible for a series with such history, production demands and passionate fandom? Deletion invites contributions from science, philosophy and all other approaches that consider the visual alongside the aural and the aesthetic, to critically engage with the series’ future, past and present and to forge new perspectives for the study of this iconic SF imaginarium. We aim to reflect a diversity of approaches and seek contributions that offer new critical dimensions and concepts to engage with the series, its themes and concepts, its cultural importance and its impact, directions and meaning. Deletion encourages the submission of non-standard submissions such as creative pieces. Contributions should be between 1200 -1500 words, but can also take the form of 2-3 minute podcasts, video blogs, image galleries, and other media.

Submission are Due May 30, 2014.
Topics may include but are not limited to:
Death and Life and Regeneration
Reimagining Time and Space: multi-dimensional perspectives and places
Conservation and environmentalism: restarting the universe
Mental health and time travel
Companion: bodies, genders, races and people
Technology: and non-technology technology
Whovians and fan cultures: commodities, cosplay, crafts, economies, and relations
Genre policing: science fiction, fantasy or space opera?
Time Lords: politics, power, society, order and chaos,
New Who and Old Who: transmedia, paratextual industries and innovation

Please contact the editors for the episode Christopher Moore (chrism@uow.edu.au) or Daniel Lewis (djle@deakin.edu.au) for further information.

 

 

#Deletion launch today with two speakers on SF and Robotics

Deletion – the open access online forum in science fiction studies is now live and we are launching this week with two speakers on robotics, the remarkable Angela Ndalianis with ‘Tomorrowland’, and robotics thinker, Matthew Joordens on ‘The Science and Fiction of Robotics.’ today at the  Phoenix Gallery, Deakin Burwood 4-6pm.  Join us!

http://www.deletionscifi.org/

Science Fiction: Future fact? 

Dr. Matthew Joordens – School of Engineering, Deakin University

Is science fiction the harbinger of doom, an idle story or future fact? Science fiction has enthralled its audience since Mary Shelly animated a monster, Jules Verne put a man on the moon and H. G. Well invaded the earth with Martians. This presentation will look at the link between science fiction and science fact, particularly in robotics. Will robots be able to replace mankind? Will they be smarter than us? Will robots be independent or have a hive mentality?  Find out about robots today and the possibilities of tomorrow.

Tomorrowland

Angela Ndalianis – Associate Professor in Screen and Cultural Studies, Melbourne University

Tomorrowland at Disneyland embodied for Walt Disney a demonstration of the world of tomorrow that could be experienced today. In constructing Tomorrowland and Disneyland, Disney drew upon a range of influences: science fiction and utopianist writings; urban theory and visions of futuristic city living & world expositions from the past and present which had also envisioned the world of tomorrow through technological advancement. These resulted in a complex evocation of a retro-futurist vision.This paper focuses on what Brooks Landon calls “science fiction thinking”. Like a science fiction time traveller Disney drew upon the past and present to construct a present that would envision the future.

Deletion: the Open Access Online Forum in Science Fiction Studies

Deletion: the Open Access Online Forum in Science Fiction Studies

 “Individual science fiction stories may seem as trivial as ever to the blinder critics and philosophers of today, but the core of science fiction — its essence — has become crucial to our salvation, if we are to be saved at all.”  Isaac Asimov

 Deletion the open access online forum in science fiction studies will publish original ‘think pieces’ every month of approximately 1200-1500 words. Committed to writing about science fiction in all its forms and modes of operation, Deletion will invite contributions from those writing about science fiction from a literary, philosophical, artistic, scientific, aural, televisual, games, and cinematic context.

Deletion will also solicit papers from the leading scholars in science fiction studies, organise and be open to regular ‘special editions’, and will accept and encourage non-standard submissions such as creative pieces. Submissions can also take the form of 2-3 minute podcasts or video blogs.

Deletion’s work will be framed around the following questions; what is science fiction today; what are its social, cultural and political functions; what forms does it take and what are the relationships in and between those forms; and how does creative practice best interpret contemporary science fiction?

Deletion will be led by scholars from Deakin University, Melbourne, who will form its ‘inner’ editorial board, alongside an international advisory board, comprising leading scholars in the field.

The first edition of Deletion will be a special invitation edition, where its key questions will be explored from an inter and cross-disciplinary perspective by renowned science fiction scholars and practitioners.

An open call for papers and creative pieces for publication in Deletion is now open. Topics of interest include but are not limited to:

Children in contemporary science fiction;

Environmentalism;

Scientific understanding and science fiction;

Haptic science fiction;

Robotics;

Literary dystopia;

The suburban artwork of Gregory Crewdson;

Independent science fiction cinema;

Fictions of science in games;

Surveillance;

4-D science fiction cinema;

Philosophy and science fiction;

The Alien messiah;

Case studies: authors and auteurs;

Costume and design in science fiction;

Transhumanism;

Science fiction installation art;

Ethics and morals;

Whiteness in science fiction;

Music video and futurism;

Cult science fiction;

Science fiction poetry;

Special affect;

Eugenics;

Armageddon;

Romance in science fiction;

Science fiction music;

Sounding science fiction;

Time travel;

The urban, the rural;

Sex in science fiction;

Papers (of 1200-1500 words in length) should be emailed as a word attachment to the following addresses:  Sean Redmond: s.redmond@deakin.edu.au and Chris Moore: c.moore@deakin.edu.au

Submissions for creative work will be dealt with on a case by case basis; please contact Sean Redmond: s.redmond@deakin.edu.au and Chris Moore:c.moore@deakin.edu.au with your initial expression of interest.

Deletion will go live at 1 minute past 1am on the 1st October 2013 (EST). Details of its URL will follow in September.

Sean Redmond

Leon Marvell

Chris Moore

Elizabeth Braithwaite

Trent Griffiths