Singularities: Where the old rules no longer apply – A one-day symposium on Sci-Fi fan events in critical event, tourism and leisure studies

Monday 11th June 2018: Cloth Hall, Leeds Beckett University (Leeds, UK)

We are extending our call for papers for the Singularities: A One-Day Symposium on Sci-Fi Fan Events.

Critical studies of SF Fandom are well-established, from early engagement by sociologists interested in why so many people attended SF conventions, to the seminal work of Tulloch and Jenkins on fans of Star Trek and Doctor Who. At the same time, scholars in leisure studies have been interested in the motivations, actions, identities and spaces of sports fans. This interest in fandom in leisure studies is now driven by a number of emerging trends: tourism studies scholars are increasingly interested in notions of fan mobilities and fan pilgrimage; critical events studies scholars are beginning to bringing their critique of events management to bear on corporate fan events, exploring the tensions between the commoditization of space and the articulation of identity in purpose built heterotopic environments; and some sociologists of leisure are arguing that fandom is challenged by the enormous changes to society brought about by post-industrialization and globalization. This symposium will bring together those interested in events, tourism and leisure as ways and spaces in which to make sense of SF Fandom.

Whilst we are happy to support presentations that use PowerPoint, or similar, we wish to strongly encourage presentations that are more interactive and engage their audience in discussion and conversation, and not simply the sharing of research findings.

The symposium will be linked to a special issue of Journal of Fandom Studies, edited by the symposium organisers – and the authors of the best papers will be encouraged to submit to this issue. The symposium, and the special issue, will have the same remit. Both the symposium and the special issue are looking for papers on any research pertaining to SF Fandom that draws on concepts from leisure studies, from tourism studies, and from critical events studies. Whilst not limited to these topics, we are especially interested in the following topics:

  • SF Fan Tourism Pilgrimages
  • SF Fan Events and Commoditization
  • SF Fandom and Digital Leisure
  • SF Fan Events as Tourism
  • SF Fandom as Critical Event
  • SF Fandom and Leisure Theory
  • SF Fandom Mobilities
  • SF Fan Events and Memory Studies
  • Critical Autoethnographic Reflections on Fandom Events

As this symposium is on Sci-Fi fan events you are most welcome to come to the symposium in cosplay/crossplay. There will be a prises associated with the best cosplay/crossplay costume at the symposium.

Anyone interested in Sci-Fi Fandom and Fan Events is most welcome to attend. The symposium will take place in the Cloth Hall, part of Leeds Beckett University (LS1 2HD), on Monday 11th June 2018. An early bird rate of £50, and £35 for students/unwaged, will be applied to those that register early. The full rate, and date from which it comes into effect, will be announced when details of the registration process are released in February 2018.

Abstracts should be no more than 300 words, and must be submitted by 15th December 2017 (50 years since the second Doctor, Patrick Troughton, first defeated the Ice Warriors) to: