Edited Collection: Gender, Sexuality and Queer Identities in American Horror Story

Editors:
Harriet Earle, Sheffield Hallam University, UK
Jessica Clark, University of Suffolk, UK

This call for papers seeks submissions that engage with the television series American Horror Story (produced by Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk) as part of an edited collection on the theme of gender, sexuality and queer identity. Over seven seasons (so far), American Horror Story has received massive popular and academic interest for its bold and often apposite reworkings of a wide range of cultural tropes and folk stories, set against uniquely American backgrounds and played out through a distinct cast of characters. The series has included many nuanced – and also problematic – representations of sexuality and queer identities, as well as brought into question culturally entrenched issues of heteronormativity and mononormativity.

Papers should be between 7000-8000 words and the deadline for final submission is 31^stJanuary 2018. Papers should be submitted to the editors Harriet Earle and Jessica Clark via AHSspecialissue@gmail.com.

Submissions to this edited collection must focus on the wider theme of gender, sexuality and queerness in American Horror Story. Topics could include, but are not limited to, critical interrogations of:

• The development of queer representation in American popular culture
• Intersectionality, imagery and representation: femininity, masculinity, sexuality, disability, ethnicity, class, age, etc.
• Violence and/or sexual violence
• Queer bodies, identities and selves
• Sex, sexual bodies and sexual pleasure/desire
• Fandoms and cultural production

The list is by no means exhaustive and we are happy to consider any piece which works with some/all of the current six/seven series of American Horror Story or those which cross series boundaries with a strong thematic focus at their centre.
All authors are welcome to submit abstracts: from PhD candidates and early career researchers, to established academics. We look forward to receiving abstracts for consideration.

This exciting themed edition has evolved from a related but separate journal special issue on ‘AHS’ that Harriet and Jessica are editing. As such, the editors are in the process of approaching respected academic publishers to achieve the best possible publication terms for this volume. Authors will be kept continually informed about final publisher selection.

Publication schedule: 
Submission of abstracts: 5th November 2017
Notification of abstract acceptance: 12th November 2017
Submission of full chapters : 15th April 2018
Publication date: To be confirmed