Call for Papers: What We Fight For: Examining Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D
Co-editors Heather M. Porter and Sherry Ginn invite proposals or completed essays for an edited collection of scholarly works that explore the television series Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D (2013-2020). Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D ran for seven seasons and the later seasons’ two-part structure allowed for a variety of stories to be told, including the dangers of unchecked technology, time travel, space travel, multiple timelines, superhero origin stories, and much more. Proposals should demonstrate not only a clear methodology and strong thesis but also a familiarity with prior and current conversations and publications about the series, including the special issue on the series in Slayage: The Journal of Whedon Studies (Winter/Spring 2019, vol. 17). The anticipated collection seeks to showcase a range of theoretical lenses; we are hence interested in a variety of topics as well as diverse disciplinary approaches. Though not prescriptive, it may be productive to consider the following list of topics:
The Role of Heroes and Superpowers Relationship to the MCU
Family / Chosen Families Characters / Character Development
A.I., Technology, and Science Heroes and Villains
Time Travel, Multiverse Justice vs Vengeance
Race and Racism Vigilantes and Vigilantism
Politics and Government Power and Responsibility
Philosophy and Ethics
Teams, Groups, and Group Dynamics
Paratexts or Production Elements
Queries and Submissions:
Please send queries and abstracts for proposed chapter-length original work (350-500 words) to agentsofshieldbook@gmail.com (subject line: Agents of SHIELD Collection). Proposals should be submitted no later than January 1, 2022. Selected contributors will be notified by February 1, 2022. We suggest but do not require that proposals include a working bibliography. Please provide in a separate document or in the body of the email a brief author biography and selected list of prior publications/conference presentations. We are currently discussing the book proposal with a publisher who is very interested in the collection, hence are working on a production timeline that would tentatively allow the book a 2023 publication date. Essays in this collection will be peer reviewed.