We are seeking proposals for an edited collection tentatively titled Television Comedy & Cultural Crisis. Chapters should focus on a specific television series and address how that series engages with the discourse of a particular cultural crisis through comedy. The function of comedy should be foregrounded, as the collection will be held together through the central question of how humor acts as space through which we can resist normative ways of thinking about these cultural crises.
Contributors might consider humorous depictions of, but are not limited to:
- The afterlife/faith
- Environmentalism/climate crisis
- Identity discourses (race, gender, sexuality, etc.)
- Technology
- Addiction
- Mental health
- Education systems
- Work & labor conditions
- Consumerism
- Militarism
In the interest of the overall argument and cogency of the book, we are defining “television comedy” as half-hour and hour-long scripted situation comedies with a narrative arc. Other comedy genres – reality programs, late night talk shows, sketch comedy, web series – should be avoided. If you have questions about whether or not a particular text would be suitable, please reach out to the editors.
Submit 250-300 word abstracts to hollyholladay@missouristate.edu and cclassen@unc.edu by March 31st, 2022. Notification of acceptance will occur by April 30, 2022. Completed chapters of 4000-5000 words inclusive of references will be due by December 15, 2022.
