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SCIENCE FICTIONS, POPULAR CULTUREs Academic Conference
devoted to cross-disciplinary, cross-genre, and cross-media scholarship
SCIENCE FICTIONS, POPULAR CULTURES is a scholarly academic conference which runs in conjunction with HawaiiCon (September 24-27, 2020) with talks starting mid-morning Thursday (followed by an opening reception on Thursday evening) through Sunday evening held on the sunny western coast on the Big Island of Hawai’i, just 15 miles from the Kona KOA International Airport. Click here to see a sample of the 2020 Program.
THE 2020 CONFERENCE was VIRTUAL AND HELD ONLINE VIA PARALLEL, LIVE, ZOOM SESSIONS.
The theme of SCIENCE FICTIONS, POPULAR CULTURES is: Beyond Boundaries.
Just as science fiction adventures boldly go where none has gone...
Just as artists are not bounded by one media or platform...
Just as science pushes the limits of what is fiction to discover what is fact...
Just as science fiction constantly defies and defines the parameters of genre...
Just as popular culture erases the divides of academic disciplines...
SCIENCE FICTIONS, POPULAR CULTURES seeks to both defy and redefine how the academy views science fiction and popular culture—and the research, scholarship and creative endeavors of those working across these fields. An academic, peer-reviewed and refereed Conference Proceedings will be published in conjunction with the event.
SCIENCE FICTIONS, POPULAR CULTURES is soliciting 20- to 25-minute VIRTUAL academic presentations from a wide spectrum of disciplines addressing the narratives and performances of science, science fiction, and popular entertainment across media, platforms, and cultures. As scholars, we create dynamic intersections with the extensive public programming at HawaiiCon which leverages the intellectual engagement audiences bring to their enthusiastic appreciation and deep knowledge of pop culture. The growing list of entertainers, authors, and actors attending who you can interact with are listed online.
While we are particularly interested in creating intersections with programming at HawaiiCon in the form of lively panel discussions that augment scholarly papers and, all suitable, scholarly academic presentations of science fiction and popular culture will be considered by the conference proposal peer reviewers. Possible topics include but are not limited to:
World-building in genres & across media
Popular interpretations and implications of Science Fictions
Science in/of Science Fiction
Playing Science/Science Fiction (cosplay, games, gaming)
Star Wars vs Star Trek: Who Has Better Astronomy?
Hidden Mathematics Revealed in Science Fiction
Encryption and Privacy in Science Fiction and Daily Life
Time Travel, Special Relativity, and Imperial Cruiser Travel Times
STEM, STEAM, and Science Fiction
The Science of World-building in the Genre
Science as Popular Culture and the Popularity of Science
Teaching of/with Science Fiction (across disciplines)
Teaching College Classes with Comics and Popular Culture
Translating/Adapting Science Fiction across media and cultures
Interdisciplinary Science Fictions
Cultures of Science Fictions
Cultures of Science Fiction fandom
Performing Science/Science Fiction (live and mediated)
What Fuels Serenity? Real Propulsion Systems in Science Fiction Spaceships
Firearms VS Vampires: Which Firearms and Ammo Should Buffy Carry?
Playing Science/Science Fiction (cosplay, games, gaming)
All presenters are invited to contribute a scholarly, written version of their presentation to our academic, peer-reviewed proceedings for the conference, to be published at the end of the calendar year (and suitable for promotion and tenure performance reviews).
Accepted presenters may also be invited to participate in HawaiiCon public panels.
Attendance to the entirety of the larger HawaiiCon conference is included with the SFPC registration fee, as well as a copy of the published peer-reviewed, academic proceedings. HawaiiCon serves as the annual inclusive gathering of science fiction fans, comic book enthusiasts, creative cosplayers, anime followers, avid gamers, future-envisioning authors, cultural practitioners, Geek-film featurettes, comic and fantasy artists, authors, screen writers and Hollywood’s science fiction producers, voice actors, and movie/television stars, along with vendors, musicians, teachers, students, scientists, and popular culture & science fiction scholars. Held each September on the Big Island of Hawai’i as a 501(c)3 non-profit fundraiser for STEAM education for children on the Island, this is the con you don’t want to miss!
CONFERENCE CO-CHAIRS:
Dr. Jason T. Eberl, St. Louis University, co-author of Star Trek & Philosophy
Dr. Carrie J. Cole, Indiana University of Pennsylvania, science fiction theatre scholar
Dr. Greg Littmann, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, philosopher and fandom scholar
Dr. Stephanie Slater, CAPER Center for Astronomy & Physics Education Research, science education & culture scholar
REGISTRATION FEE: The four-day registration fee is $279 and includes charges for publishing in our peer-reviewed proceedings and access to all HawaiiCon.com Celebrity and academic sessions held at the hotel conference center, including those with scientists and media guests: The entertainment industry guest line up is updated frequently. Please pay the registration fee by selecting this link. Both printed and electronic copies of the published proceedings are included as part of the paid registration fee. All presenters and participants pay the registration fee.
CONFERENCE HOTEL: WE WILL NOT BE MEETING FACE TO FACE ON SITE THIS YEAR, BUT our beautiful conference hotel WAS TO BE located right on the water on the sunny western coast on the Big Island of Hawai’i, just 15 miles south of the Kona KOA International Airport. Book your rooms directly with us for convention exclusive rates. Rooms start at just $199/night and include free parking, free Internet-access, and so much more — all without paying additional resort fees!
PRESENTATION PROPOSALS: Scholarly, academic presentation proposals are being peer-reviewed starting immediately on a rolling basis for the conference with notifications rapidly after initial submission, with priority acceptance date of May 15 (although later submissions may be considered). 200-300 word summary abstracts and 100 word biographical sketches are to be submitted to Conference Peer Review Committee using the online form available by clicking here. Academic, peer-reviewed proceedings will be published at the conclusion of this conference. Download the latest CFP Call for Papers here.
PROCEEDINGS: Peer-reviewed academic proceedings papers are to be between about 1500-5,000 words not including references or endnotes, and submitted to sfpc@caperteam.com by October 15. Previous bound copies of the proceedings are available on Amazon at the following links: 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020.
Sign up to receive updated information about the Science Fictions & Popular Cultures Conference as soon as it becomes available.
For specific questions, please email conference co-chairs at SCIFIPOPCON@caperteam.com
