Call for Papers (with apologies for cross-posting): The inaugural issue of Persona Studies is scheduled for open access publication in March 2015. This exciting new journal will be preceded by a Working Papers Symposium held in Melbourne, Australia on February 5 2015, with virtual participation welcome. Abstracts are now being sought for the symposium and/or the inaugural issue of the journal. Open Call: Research and writing on any aspect of persona and persona studies. Persona studies is an emerging area of cross-disciplinary study that investigates the presentation of the self and the masks that we use as we construct ourselves in real and virtual settings and worlds. It is an exploration of the public self and how these versions of identity come to prominence in contemporary culture. It acknowledges that we all negotiate and construct personas that we deploy and employ in work and professional environments as much as in our recreational and leisure activities: much of the emerging work in persona studies is closer studies of these particular settings and how they help frame our public selves. The field of study has antecedents that connect its work to the study of celebrity and public personalities, performance studies, media and cultural studies and game identity work, biographical research, life-writing and autobiography work along with Internet studies, communication studies, cultural anthropology, social psychology, sociology and philosophy of the self and gender studies. It has further links with areas that also look at reputation and impression management and the critical investigation of branding, self-branding and the 'quantified self'. The journal's intentions are to facilitate an intellectual exchange, debate and discussion around persona and its constitution. It is an invitation to investigate its varied manifestations, its patterning in contemporary culture, its differentiation in different technological and cultural settings, and its conceptual and material significance and value. To gain a further sense of what constitutes persona studies, please see the recent special persona themed issue of M/C - Journal of Media and Culture: http://journal.media-culture.org.au/index.php/mcjournal/issue/view/persona Written paper submissions: In the first instance, submit a 250-300 word abstract to personastudies@deakin.edu.au<mailto:personastudies@deakin.edu.au>, with 'Full Paper' in the subject line, by 8 December 2014. You will be notified to proceed to a full length paper within a week of abstract submission. For guidelines on the preparations of your full paper, see Author Guidelines: https://ojs.deakin.edu.au/index.php/ps/about/submissions#authorGuidelines. Full papers should be between 5000-8000 words, including citations, and will be vetted by the editorial team prior to submission for blind peer-review. Acceptance for peer review does not guarantee inclusion in the inaugural issue of the journal, but the editorial team may work with authors to develop papers for later issues. The second issue will have a special themed section on health and persona, and we encourage authors interested in this area to submit abstracts for inclusion. Key dates - Journal Abstract submission deadline - 8 December 2014 Notification of acceptance - 15 December 2014 Full papers due for peer review - 13 February 2015 Final revised papers due - 13 March 2015 Persona Studies journal launch - 20 March 2015 Working Paper Symposium submissions: In the first instance, submit a 250-300 word abstract to personastudies@deakin.edu.au<mailto:personastudies@deakin.edu.au>, with 'Working Paper' in the subject line by 8 December 2014. We will notify by 15 December 2014. Symposium participants must submit either a 10 minute audio-visual presentation OR a 2000-3000 word written paper by 28 January. This will be circulated to workshop participants and attendees. The symposium is designed to allow ample discussion. Therefore, each presenter will have fifteen minutes to focus on their work. In this time, you will briefly introduce your project or paper in process before shifting to group discussion. Where possible, papers on similar or complimentary themes will be presented consecutively, and more general discussion will follow each themed section. You may attend in person or participate virtually, and your paper will also be considered for inclusion in the inaugural issue of the journal. Key dates - Symposium Abstract submission deadline - 8 December 2014 Notification of acceptance - 15 December 2014 Short paper / presentation due - 28 January 2015 Persona Studies Working Papers Symposium - 5 February 2015 Kim Barbour School of Communication & Creative Arts Research, Faculty of Arts & Education Member of Persona Celebrity Publics (PCP) Emerging Research Group Deakin University Melbourne Burwood Campus, 221 Burwood Highway, Burwood, VIC 3125 Deakin University CRICOS Provider Code 00113B Important Notice: The contents of this email are intended solely for the named addressee and are confidential; any unauthorised use, reproduction or storage of the contents is expressly prohibited. If you have received this email in error, please delete it and any attachments immediately and advise the sender by return email or telephone. Deakin University does not warrant that this email and any attachments are error or virus free.