From: A forum for critical and radical geographers
[mailto:[log in to unmask]]On Behalf Of Alastair Owens
Sent: 24 June 2004 08:53
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: CFP: Playing with Mother Nature: Video Games, Space, and
Ecology
Not my thing but of interest to some critical geographers...
From: H-Net Announcements <[log in to unmask]>
Playing with Mother Nature: Video Games, Space, and Ecology
Editors Sidney I. Dobrin, Cathlena Martin, and Laurie Taylor seek
proposals for a new collection of original articles that address the
use and place of space and ecology in video games. This collection
will examine video games in terms of the spaces they create and use,
the metaphors of space on which they rely, and the ecologies that
they create within those spaces. This collection will address the
significant intersections in terms of how and why video games
construct space and ecology as they do, and in terms of how those
constructions shape conceptions of both space and ecology.
The editors seek proposals for innovative papers that explore the
intersections between ecocriticism, theories of spatiality, and video
games. Ecocriticism of video games straddles studying ecology as the
Earth (or alternate world setting), nature, and land, while adding
physical representation and experimentation through video game spaces
and other technological spaces. These video games spaces create their
own spatial practice through their representation and through the
players' lived interaction with the gaming environments as
constructed worlds. Video game spatial analysis comprises the created
representation of space in the games, the players' experiences with
those spaces, and the nuances by which those spaces are constructed
and conveyed, including their portrayal of cultural norms for space
and spatiality. In addition, the editors are looking for several
papers that specifically address children's culture and education in
terms of video games, space, and ecology.
Editors seek contributions which explore and initiate conversations
using the triple lens of ecology, space, and video games about areas
that may, but will not necessarily, pertain to:
* Role of imaginary space in video games
* Implications of Soja's Thirdspace and other spatial theories on video
games
* Artificial intelligence (AI) and artificial life (AL) and the creation of
artificial ecologies
* Games specifically designed for education about ecological concerns,
places, or uses (Oregon Trail, free online games)
* Over-all ecological educational/conceptual effect of video games
* Environment in video games and how it is constructed spatially and
rhetorically
* Relationship of the players to the game worlds arenas, landscapes,
cities, and worlds
* Rhetorical effect of nostalgic and romantic representations of nature
* How video games effect eco literacies
* Rhetorical effect of architecture and the creation of game spaces
* Function of utopian and dystopian World Constructions
* Creation of communities within artificial lands (often in MMORPGs, like
Everquest homes and communities)
* Ecologies of play: evolutionary change and progression (powerups and
enemy progression in relation to evolutionary models); cycle of life and
death and the disruption of that cycle with re-play
* Game creatures / anthropomorphism; cyborgs / cloning
* Relationship of science and nature (control in games like Zoo Tycoon,
science as a perversion of nature sci-fi games)
* Analysis of ecolological tropes: mastery or control of nature (SIMCITY
and the natural disasters as the opponent; land as something to be
controlled and colonized in Civilization)
* Cultural construction of nature (prevalence of post apocalyptic worlds in
Japanese games like Final Fantasy)
* Virtual zoos viewing and capturing 'nature' (photographs of alien
creatures in Beyond Good and Evil, capturing creatures in Pokemon)
* Intersections of eco-theories and visual rhetoric as portrayed in video
games
* Historical representations of physical spaces and its relationship to the
cultural definitions of those spaces (Battlefield 1942, Medal of Honor)
All articles should pertain specifically to game studies scholarship
and/or pedagogy. Articles that lend to the theoretical and critical
scholarship of video game studies will be favored. The editors are
less interested in submissions that simply offer readings of
particular games in order to identify that a game might be 'read' as
ecological.
Please send a proposal of 500-750 words and a contributor's bio by
November 1, 2004 to (preferably) e-mail or snail mail address below.
(Early inquiries and submissions are highly encouraged). Authors will
be notified of acceptance by December 1, 2004. Final drafts of
articles will be due: April 1, 2004.
Sidney Dobrin, Cathlena Martin, and Laurie Taylor
Department of English
University of Florida
PO Box 117310
Gainesville, Florida, 32611-7311
Email: [log in to unmask], [log in to unmask],
[log in to unmask]
Web: http://www.nwe.ufl.edu/~ltaylor/ecology.html
--
Dr Alastair Owens
Department of Geography
Queen Mary, University of London
Mile End Road, London, E1 4NS
United Kingdom
Tel +44 (0) 20 7882 5401
Fax +44 (0) 20 8981 6276
Email [log in to unmask]
Personal Homepage: http://www.geog.qmul.ac.uk/staff/owens.html
Department Pages: http://www.geog.qmul.ac.uk/
The London Journal: http://www.history.ac.uk/cmh/londonjournal/
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