Call for papers/presentations for GHost III: Hostings 3 & 4
GHost-hunters

GHost is led by Sarah Sparkes and Ricarda Vidal
Institute of Germanic & Romance Studies, Stewart House, 32 Russell
Square, London WC1B 5DN

Deadline for submissions of proposals: 12 July 2010

Date for Hosting 3: 12 October 2010
Date for Hosting 4: 16 November 2010

Venue: The Courtroom, Senate House South Block, Malet Street, London
WC1E 7HU


"HAUNTED HOUSE: Responsible persons of leisure and intelligence,
intrepid, critical, and unbiased, are invited to join rota of observers
in a years night and day investigation of alleged haunted house in Home
counties. Printed Instructions supplied. Scientific training or ability
to operate simple instruments an advantage. House situated in lonely
hamlet, so own car is essential. Write Box H.989, The Times, E.C.4"

This ad appeared on 25 May 1937 in The Times. It was posted by Harry
Price, an early-20th-century ghost-hunter who was looking for fellow
researchers to investigate the paranormal activities in Borley Rectory,
allegedly Britain's 'most haunted house'. Price was a member of the
Ghost Club and the Magic Circle and avid collector of magical artefacts
and literature on the paranormal and occult. He visited and researched
'haunted houses' all over Britain and Europe and documented the presence
of ghosts and other inexplicable phenomena. He was also the first person
to broadcast live from a 'haunted house' and is usually referred to as
'the original ghost hunter'.

While it is unlikely that a similar ad would be taken seriously by most
readers of The Times these days, TV-shows such as 'Britain's Most
Haunted', or cinema films like The Blair Witch Project (1999) or
Paranormal Activity (2010) as well as the abundance of websites
dedicated to the paranormal attest to the continuing interest in the
field. In some sense ghost-hunting has become popular entertainment, but
its popularity is also an expression of a need to prove the existence of
life beyond death.

We would like to invite proposals for presentations of 30 minutes on the
theme of ghost-hunters for the two hostings on 12 October and 16
November.  We are interested in presentations which look at
ghost-hunting as a historical as well as a contemporary activity and
would like to hear from practicing artists as well as from researchers
within the fields of anthropology, art history, cultural studies, film
studies, history, law, literary studies, parapsychology, psychology etc.

Whether you're proposing an academic paper, a performative talk, a
recital of poetry or creative writing or a presentation of your art
practice please think of ways of presenting your work beyond the neat
framing of Power Point and take us somewhere on the far side of Windows
Vista.

Please send a (working) title, an abstract of ca. 300 words, and, if
applicable one or two pictures, to [log in to unmask]

Abstracts should reach us no later than 12 July 2010.

The GHost project has been running since 2008. It addresses the various
roles ghosts play in contemporary culture by bringing artists, writers,
curators and researchers together for workshops, so-called 'hostings'
and exhibitions of moving image and performance art. The hostings take
place at the Institute of Germanic & Romance Studies and exhibitions are
hosted by St Johns on Bethnal Green (East London).

For more info please see our website:
http://www.host-a-ghost.blogspot.com/

Or join the GHost group on Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=117301037117&v=wall&ref=mf

Artists, please note that there will be a separate call for submissions
for the GHost exhibition at St Johns on 17-19 December.  We will
circulate this soon and will also post it on our website and on
facebook.



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