CALL FOR PAPERS 2025

2024-09-13

Horror Culture

We hope that the first issue of "ZRL" [“The Problems of Literary Genres”] in 2025 will become a space for considering the culture of horror, which — as scholars and researchers (including Maria Janion, Anita Has-Tokarz, Agnieszka Izdebska, Anna Gemra and Mikołaj Marcela) aptly note, analyzing its various representations — is a genre or cultural category that says a lot about the contemporary condition of man and society. In this issue, the editors will expect texts focused on horror in recent culture, starting from the end of the 20th century, both in literature and in other media and art (e.g. digital games, film, theater). Interest in horror is not fading, and is even beginning to be visible in not only popular literature, but also in so-called high literature, such as in Olga Tokarczuk's "Empuzjon" or Joanna Bator's novels. Horror is also undergoing transformations in film, digital games or theater.

We hope that those interested in the subject will present analyses on horror as a genre (literature, comic book, film, games), aesthetics and cultural category, revisiting such motifs and concepts as labyrinth, macabre and gothic, and reflecting on the presence in contemporary culture of classic representations of horror, such as Horace Walpole's "The Castle of Otranto" (1764), Matthew Gregory Lewis' "The Monk: A Romance" (1796) and Bram Stoker's "Dracula" (1897).

We also want this special issue of "ZRL" to become a reference to the publications "Gotycyzm i groza w kulturze" [Gothicism and Horror in Culture] (2003) and "Wokół gotycyzmów: Wyobraźnia, groza, okrucieństwo" [Around Gothicisms: Imagination, Horror, Cruelty] (2003), published more than 20 years ago, which have inscribed the Lodz community of literary theorists in the broad consideration of horror and its instrumentation in culture.

Possible sample topics to consider:

  • horror in theory — cultural category, phenomenon or genre? — and what has changed in scientific thinking about horror;
  • horror as a genre (literary, film, theater, digital, game) — theories, reviews and case studies;
  • classic horror — horror classics and their influence on contemporary horror in literature, comics, film, TV series and digital games (adaptations of literary works in other media, contemporary film adaptations, horror culture motifs in recent cultural texts and their transformations, re-interpretations);
  • horror as a literary phenomenon — how and what are the "celebrities" of horror writing about today? (suggested authors: Stephen King, Graham Masterton, Dan Simmons, Jack Ketchum, Dean Koontz);
  • horror in recent Polish popular literature (suggested authors: Tomasz Sablik, Artur Urbanowicz, Stefan Darda, Anna Lewicka, Konrad Możdżeń, Marta Kisiel) — is it still a niche genre?
  • horror on the edge — what is extreme horror, how to study it and is it worth doing?
  • horror as a specialty — publishing houses specializing in horror (e.g. Wydawnictwo Vesper, Wydawnictwo Dom Horroru, Wydawnictwo IX);
  • horror for children and adolescents — what purpose do horror elements serve in cultural texts aimed at a young audience?
  • horror in Japanese — horror elements in manga and anime;
  • survival horror — a classical and post-classical look at the combination of horror in the thematic layer with specific game mechanics in the ludic layer;
  • horror game remakes — is remaking classic titles a recipe for success? (suggested examples from recent years: Alone in the Dark, Resident Evil 4: Remake, Dead Space Remake);
  • indie horror — digital horror outside the mainstream, i.e., what do independent game and film developers want to convey?
  • horror in various media as a reflection of social anxieties.

Editors of the issue:

  • Dominika Staszenko-Chojnacka, PhD (University of Lodz)
  • Anna Zatora, PhD (University of Lodz)

Deadline for submitting texts: February 28, 2025

 

Disneyization — Culture — Cultural Production

This issue explores the multifaceted concept of Disneyization and its impact on contemporary culture and cultural production. Disneyization — a term coined by Bryman to describe how the principles of Disney’s theme parks are applied to various sectors of society — involves commodification, thematicization, hybrid consumption, and performative labour as observed across cultural industries. This special issue explores how Disneyization shapes cultural narratives, influences creative industries, and shapes the behaviour of cultural consumers. We welcome submissions that examine these phenomena from various perspectives, including literary studies, cultural studies, media studies, and sociology.

Possible sample topics to consider:

  • theoretical frameworks for Disneyization: an analysis of the conceptual framework and methodology for studying Disneyization from the perspective of critical studies, Adorno and Benjamin’s theories, and a comparison of Disneyization with other cultural theories (e.g. McDonaldization, cultural hegemony, class struggle);
  • Disneyization in literature and media: studies on the influence of Disneyization on literary texts, films, and other media, especially in the context of shaping genre and narrative conventions; “re-Disneyization”: an analysis of amateur adaptations and reinterpretations of Disney brands and franchises, especially in the context of specific works entering the public domain;
  • cultural production and the entertainment industry: the influence of the Disney corporation on global cultural production, including case studies of media franchises; failure studies: an analysis of failed attempts to create film universes and animation studios inspired by the Disney model, especially in post-communist countries;
  • consumer culture and Disneyization: the impact of Disneyization on consumer behaviour and identity formation, especially in the context of thematic environments (amusement parks, shopping malls); the phenomenon of Disneyization in state-owned enterprises in Eastern Bloc countries: an analysis of the presence (or lack thereof) of Disneyization in this specific cultural space;
  • globalization and cultural colonialism: examination of the spread of Disneyization in different cultures and its consequences for cultural colonialism; analysis of resistance to Disneyization in local productions and cultural practices;
  • digital media and Disneyization: the role of digital platforms in disseminating and amplifying Disneyized content, with particular emphasis on user-generated content and fan culture;
  • education and Disneyization: the impact of Disney materials on educational content and pedagogy, including the role of educators in a critical approach to Disneyized cultural products;
  • ethical and political dimensions of Disneyization: ethics and political implications of Disneyization in the production and consumption of culture and their impact on cultural policy;
  • case studies and empirical research: in-depth case studies of Disneyized cultural phenomena and empirical research on audience reception and interpretation of Disneyized media;
  • historical perspectives: the historical evolution of Disneyization and its precursors and the analysis of its impact on historical narratives and collective memory;
  • format category in Disneyization: analysis of television formats adapted in different countries in the context of Disneyization and their global impact.

We encourage interdisciplinary approaches and innovative methodologies that contribute to a deeper understanding of Disneyization and its cultural consequences.

Editors of the issue:

  • Jarosław Płuciennik, PhD (University of Lodz)
  • Szymon Szul, PhD student (University of Lodz)

Deadline for submitting texts: May 31, 2025

 

 

Main Section

Due to the great interest in “free” issues, without a main topic, the Editorial Board has opened a Main Section, which means that in both issues per year there are published texts unrelated to the topics of the Issues, presenting current research results from disciplines of interest. Submissions are accepted on a continuous cycle — according to the order of submissions.

Main Section and Themes of Issues include the following sections:

  • Articles
  • Essays
  • Scientific Reviews
  • Materials to The Companion of the Literary Genres (entries)
  • Miscellanea (e.g. discussion panels, conference reports, interviews)

Detailed information on text types can be found on the WWW.

Please send your submissions by email only!

zrl@uni.lodz.pl