Call for Papers: Special Issue of the European Journal of American Culture: American Horror Story

Guest 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 a Special Issue for the European Journal of American Culture. Over six 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.
Papers should be between 6000-8000 words and the deadline for final submission is 31^stJanuary 2018.
Papers should be submitted to the Special Guest Editors Harriet Earle and Jessica Clark via AHSspecialissue@gmail.com.
Submissions to this journal could include, but are not limited to, critical interrogations of:

• Horror, supernatural and the gothic
• Fame and celebrity culture
• The development of American popular culture (i.e. television)
• Intersectionality, imagery and representation: femininity, masculinity, sexuality, disability, ethnicity, class, age, etc.
• Colonisation and Colonialism
• Immigration and the Melting Pot
• Madness and mad politics
• Emotion and affect
• Violence and/or sexual violence
• Queer bodies, identities and selves
• American Institutions and Institutionalisation
• Sex, sexual bodies and sexual pleasure/desire
• The American family
• Producing television: production, editing, soundtrack and aesthetics.
• Audience reception, review and fan 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 series of American Horror Story or those which cross series boundaries with a strong thematic focus at their centre.
Please consult the European Journal of American Culture website (HERE) for more information about the journal and its formatting guidelines. This special issue follows the ethos of the European Journal of American Culture as a whole: we aim to reflect the interdisciplinary and international nature of contemporary studies of American Culture.
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.

The series is due to be published in June 2018.

Publication schedule:
Submission of abstracts: 10th September 2017
Notification of abstract acceptance: 24th September 2017
Submission of full posts: 31st January 2018
Publication date: June 2018