Mythcon 51
The Mythic, the Fantastic, and the Alien
http://www.mythsoc.org/mythcon/mythcon-51.htm
http://www.mythsoc.org/mythcon/mc51-CFP.htm
Albuquerque, New Mexico
July 31 - August 3, 2020
Location
Please join us at the
Ramada
Plaza Hotel by Wyndham in
Albuquerque, New Mexico, for Mythcon 51. Albuquerque is a wonderful
“destination city” where Mythcon has been held only once before in 2011 (
Mythcon 42)
and is well worth the return.
Call for Papers
Download PDF of Call for Papers here
CONFERENCE THEME: THE MYTHIC, THE FANTASTIC, AND THE ALIEN
This year’s Mythcon theme provides multiple opportunities to explore the Other in fantasy and mythopoeic
literature. Tolkien spoke in “On Fairy-stories” of “the desire to visit, free as a fish,
the deep sea; or the longing for the noiseless, gracious, economical flight of a bird.” We invite
discussion about the types of fantasy that are more likely to put us into contact with the alien, such
as time portal fantasy and space travel fantasy. In addition to Inklings, some writers who deal particularly
well with the truly alien who might be explored include Lovecraft, Gaiman, Le Guin, Tepper, and others.
Other topics that might be fruitfully explored are:
— depictions of the alien Other in film and television (
Contact,
Arrival, HBO’s
Watchmen, etc.);
— developing constructed languages that are truly different from those of Earth-based humans;
— fantastical Others in indigenous myths (such as Coyote and Spider Woman from Native American mythology);
— and American folklore about the alien (flying saucers, alien abduction, Area 51, Roswell).
Papers on our conference theme and the works and interests of our guests of honor are especially welcome,
although all subjects will be considered.
GUESTS OF HONOR
Papers on the works and interests of our guests of honor are also especially welcome:
- Author Guest of Honor
Rivera Sun is the author of The Dandelion Insurrection, The Roots of Resistance, and other
novels. Her young adult fantasy series, the Ari Ara Series, has been widely acclaimed by teachers, parents, and peace
activists for its blending of fantasy and adventure with social justice issues. The Way Between, the first
book in the Ari Ara Series, has been read by numerous groups of all ages, while the second book in the series, The Lost Heir,
has been nominated for the 2020 Dayton Peace Literature Prize.
- Scholar Guest of Honor
David Bratman is has been reading Tolkien for over fifty years, and has been writing Tolkien
scholarship for nearly as long. His earliest contribution to the field was the first-ever published Tale of Years
for the First Age, right after The Silmarillion was published. Since then he has published articles with titles
like “Top Ten Rejected Plot Twists from The Lord of the Rings,” “Hobbit Names Aren’t from
Kentucky,” and “Liquid Tolkien” (on Tolkien and music). He’s been co-editor of Tolkien Studies:
An Annual Scholarly Review since 2013, and has written or edited its annual “Year’s Work in Tolkien
Studies” since 2004. David edited The Masques of Amen House by Charles Williams and contributed the
bio-bibliographical appendix on the Inklings to Diana Pavlac Glyer’s The Company They Keep. He has also
written on C.S. Lewis, Ursula Le Guin, Mervyn Peake, Neil Gaiman, and others.
PAPERS and PANELS PROPOSALS
Email papers abstracts of 200-500 words to this year’s Paper Coordinator:
Cami Agan
cami.agan@oc.edu
by May 15, 2020.
Email panels abstracts of 50-150 words to Panels Coordinator:
Leslie Donovan
leslie.a.donovan@gmail.com
by May 15, 2020.
Include AV requests and the projected time needed for your presentation. We will make every effort to
accommodate A/V requests, but such equipment is limited and cannot be guaranteed. Available time slots:
Individual long papers are one hour, roughly 45 minutes for the paper with 15 minutes for discussion;
Individual short papers or 1/2 hour, roughly 20 minutes for the paper with 10 minutes for discussion;
Panels are 90 minutes, roughly 60 minutes for the panel with 30 minutes for discussion.
You will be notified after the deadline if your paper proposal has been accepted.
See
our Alexei Kondratiev Award for details on our student paper award!
All presenters must register for the full conference; please see the
Mythcon 51 Registration page
for information and rates.
Participants are encouraged to submit papers chosen for presentation at
the conference to Mythlore, the refereed journal of the Mythopoeic
Society (
www.mythlore.org).
All papers should conform to the 8th edition of the MLA Style Manual.
Presenters who are full-time undergraduate or graduate students are
encouraged to submit their completed conference papers in advance for
consideration for the Alexei Kondratiev Student Paper Award. Please see
www.mythsoc.org/mythcon/alexei.htm
for more information.
ABOUT THE MYTHOPOEIC SOCIETY
The Mythopoeic Society is an international literary and educational
organization devoted to the study, discussion, and enjoyment of the
works of J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, Charles Williams, and mythopoeic
literature. We believe the study of these writers can lead to greater
understanding and appreciation of the literary, philosophical, and
spiritual traditions which underlie their works, and can engender an
interest in the study of myth, legend, and the genre of fantasy. Find
out about the Society s activities at:
www.mythsoc.org
