Game Studies Area: 2016 PCA/ACA National Conference. The Game Studies area of the National Popular Culture Association and the American Culture Association Conference invites proposals for papers and panels on games and game studies for the Popular Culture Association/American Culture Association National Conference to be held Monday, March 21 through Friday, March 25, 2016 at the Sheraton in Seattle, WA. The database for proposal submissions opens July 1. Below, please find: I. Topics of Interest II. Submission Process III. Information about the Conference IV. Contact Information ---------------------------------------------------------------------- I. Topics of Interest The organizers seek proposals and papers covering all aspects of gaming, gaming culture and game studies. Proposals can address any game medium (computer, social, console, tabletop, etc) and all theoretical and methodological approaches are welcome. Possible topics include but are not limited to: -- new game mediums and platforms (Facebook, iPhone/iPad/iPod, etc) -- representation or performance of race, class, gender and sexuality in games -- gaming culture, game specific cultures, and multicultural and cross-cultural issues -- game development, design, authorship and other industry issues -- game advertising, reviews, packaging, promotion, integrated marketing and other commercial concerns -- political and legal entailments such as regulation, censorship, intellectual property -- ludology, textual criticism, media ecology, narratology, etc as paradigms for games studies -- player generated content in MUDs and MMORPGs, Mods, maps and machinima -- game genres, platforms, consoles, console wars and connections to other media -- serious games for education, business, healthcare, (military) training, etc -- space and place in games, play spaces, virtual/physical communities, mobile gaming and localization -- digital literacy, discourse practices, social norms and norming, the politics of play -- public discourse/controversy over violence, militarism, sex, criminality, racism, etc in games -- game pedagogy and classroom practices, gamification, learning as play II. Submission Process The Game Studies area of the National Popular Culture Association and the American Culture Association Conference, which began as the Video Games Studies area in 2003, has the most enduring footprint of any North American academic organization that give serious attention to the social and cultural impact of games and gaming. The area continues to grow and offers two avenues for scholars to participate and present their work. A. Paper Proposals For individual paper proposal submissions, please submit a 250-word (maximum) abstract by October 1, 2015. Submissions must be made online at http://ncp.pcaaca.org. Detailed instructions for using the online submission system can be found at http://www.pcaaca.org/conference/instructions.php. B. Panel Proposals For panel submissions, please submit a 250-word (maximum) panel abstract, as well as 100-word abstracts for each individual presentation, by October 1, 2015. Panel proposals must be emailed to digitalgames.pcaaca@gmail.com. Be sure to include the proposed title of the panel, the organizer’s name, affiliation, mailing address, and email, as well as this information for all panelists. Panel submissions may take the form of debates, dialogs, roundtable discussions, thematic panels, (or other format,) and should be designed to last approximately eighty minutes. III. Information about the Conference A. So that there will be ample time for discussion, each individual paper presentation should be designed to last approximately twelve to fifteen minutes (there will typically be four presentations per session with time for Q&A). B. Technology for use during presentations may be limited. More information about the conference can be found at http://www.pcaaca.org/ C. Presenters will be required to join either the Popular Culture Association or the American Culture Association prior to attending the conference, as well as pay a registration fee for the conference. Information about these fees can be found at http://www.pcaaca.org/conference/membership_registration.php. D. Awards and Travel Grants are offered, on a competitive basis, by the National Popular Culture Association / American Culture Association 1. Travel Grants The Michael Schoenecke Travel Grant for Graduate Students to the National Conference. For application requirements, please visit http://www.pcaaca.org/grant/schoenecke.php The Peter Rollins Travel Grant for Early-Career Faculty. For application requirements, please visit http://www.pcaaca.org/grant/rollins.php The Madonna Marsden International Travel Grant for Individuals presenting at the National Conference. For application requirements, please visit http://www.pcaaca.org/grant/marsden.php 2. Graduate Student Awards William E. Brigman Award for the Outstanding Graduate Student Paper presented at the National Conference in a specific year. Applications go to Brigman Award, c/o Gary Hoppenstand, Journal of Popular Culture, 4C Morrill Hall, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824 . Please send three hard copies of the paper (without author's name), as well as a copy on disc and photocopy of your student identification card. Those concerned for their privacy may obscure the Social Security number should it appear on the card. Please also include a copy of the acceptance letter/email from the PCA area chair who accepted the paper for presentation in the national conference. Papers should address popular culture and be accepted for a PCA panel. Submissions must be received by January 7th of the year the conference is held. The winning paper must be presented at the upcoming PCA/ACA meeting in the year it is accepted. Should the winning paper not be presented in person, the award will be forfeited. The winning author is invited to submit the essay to The Journal of Popular Culture and work with the editor toward its publication. This award is selected by a panel chosen by the editor of the journal. The winner receives a $500 travel award to attend the national conference in the year the paper is selected. William M. Jones Award for the Outstanding Graduate Student Paper presented at the National Conference in a specific year. Entries are submitted to Amy Dudley, Editorial Assistant, William M. Jones Graduate Student Paper Award Selection Committee, the Journal of American Culture, Virginia Wesleyan College, 1584 Wesleyan Drive, Norfolk, VA 23502. Papers must be submitted by January 7th of the year the conference is held. Three copies of the paper, as well as a photocopy of the applicant's student identification card must be submitted. Papers should address American culture. The winning paper must be presented at the PCA/ACA conference. The winner receives a $500 travel award to attend the national conference in the year the paper is selected. Should the winning paper not be presented in person, the award will be forfeited. The winning author should also submit the essay to the Journal of American Culture and work with the editor toward its publication. This award is selected by a panel chosen by the editor of the journal. IV. Contact Information Questions and concerns can be sent to digitalgames.pcaaca@gmail.com, or may be directed to one of the area chairs listed below. Matthew Wysocki, Department of Communication, Flagler College mwysocki@flagler.edu Nicholas Mizer, nicholas.j.mizer@gmail.com