CFP: 'self' issue M/C A Journal of Media and Culture

[Felicity Meakins]

M/C: A Journal of Media and Culture
<http://www.media-culture.org.au>

Published by School of English, Media Studies and Art History, University of Queensland, Australia 4072

CALL FOR PAPERS: 'SELF'

Me? "I" am everywhere. Philosophers, social scientists, behavioural and medical scientists have been investigating the existence and significance of individual consciousness, self-perception, self-promotion and other notions of "the self" for centuries.

The 'self' permeates contemporary culture. Through capitalist individualism and conservative politics 'self' must be considered first above the needs of the group - "looking after no. 1". In therapeutic, religious and consumerist discourses of self-improvement, self-help or self-actualisation, 'self' is obscured; an entity which needs to be sought and found, changed or accommodated, an entity which one needs to become "in touch with". Within these permutations "self" carries the assumption of its own existence, as either a stable, unchanging entity or as a contextually sensitive and dynamic identity. Either way, self is individuality - one's own interests. 

'Self' is commonly a prefix which expresses an action done to one's self (self-hatred, self-discipline) or which describes an attribute of an entity (self-concerned, self-contained). It can also be a suffix, which carries a level of self-reflexivity (myself, yourself).

The editors of M/C invite submissions of no more than 2000 words on the subject of "self", and welcome various interpretations of the term. Possible topics include, but should not be limited to "the first person era", first person media and Reality TV, 'factual' depictions of self in various media; notions of "true selves" within auto/biographical acts such as in writing, personal Webpages or documentary, the cultural celebration of self-awareness and autonomy, ideas relating to subjectivity and identity politics, social language behaviour such as im/politeness and its effects on 'self'; identity play in different media, the contextual variability and multiplicity of 'self', conflicting identities - for instance "immigrants against further immigration" groups and gay christians.

But enough navel gazing, send your submissions to M/C!

issue editors: Kate Douglas (jk.douglas at mailbox.uq.edu.au) & Felicity Meakins (dacnth-westling at nt-tech.com.au)

article deadline: 26 August 2002

issue release date: 25 September 2002

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