[Bilimsel Haber] CfP: International Reality Television Conference (Kadir Has University, September 12-14, 2008)

[Onur Inal]

Call for Papers

Reel Politics: Reality Television as a Platform for Political Discourse

International Reality Television Conference

Location: Kadir Has University, Istanbul, TURKEY

Date: September 12, 2008 - September 14, 2008

When Survivor: Cook Islands (2006) in the United States premiered as a
contest between races, discussions regarding racial inequality and how
Survivor would reinforce or challenge racial stereotypes inevitably
followed. The examples concerning how reality television may trigger
political discussions are not limited to Survivor: Cook Islands. The place
of reality television in the contemporary political discourses followed a
variety of reality shows, such as Big Brother (surveillance and privacy),
Beauty and the Geek (gender inequality and stereotypes), The Real World
(religion, gender and homosexuality), American Idol (voting patterns), and
The Apprentice (American dream)

Reality TV indeed is an international phenomenon. We are inviting scholars
from all over the world to submit your completed manuscripts or abstracts
that discuss whether/how reality programs serve as a platform for a
political discussion in different cultural or national contexts. These
issues include but are not limited to race, nationality, religion, gender
inequality, privacy, copyrights. We aim to produce an edited volume out of
the papers submitted for this conference.

Possible topics include:

. Whether and why reality television should or should not be any different
from other genres as a platform for discussion of issues related to
politics.
. Whether/how television viewers use reality television to form opinions
about politics, race, etc.
. Whether fans of reality television find these discussions as central or
peripheral to their enjoyment of the genre.
. How participants of reality programs feel about being a part of
controversies about issues related to daily politics.

Confirmed Keynote Speakers:

. Dr. Annette Hill (Professor, University of Westminster)
. Dr. Mark Andrejevic (Associate Professor, University of Iowa)
. Dr. Marwan M. Kraidy (Associate Professor, University of Pennsylvania)

Submit a 500 word maximum proposal or paper to:

Lemi Baruh
reality.politics at gmail.com

DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSION: March 10, 2008

Conference Webpage: http://reality.politics.googlepages.com/call

For further information about the conference, contact:

Dr. Lemi Baruh (lemi.baruh at khas.edu.tr)
Dr. Ji Hoon Park (parkj at hope.edu)