Call for Papers: Masons, Templars and the Holy Grail: Historical Conspiracies and Popular Culture Conspiracy Theories and Claims for the Paranormal Area
Popular Culture Association/American Culture Association National Conference
March 23-26, 2005
San Diego Marriott Hotel and Marina
[NOTE: What has the book "The DaVinci Code" meant for collection development?]
The Conspiracy Theories and Claims for the Paranormal Area invites papers, panels, and multimedia presentations on the sub-topic of Historical Conspiracies and Popular Culture for presentation at the PCA.
We invite papers from all disciplines on the use in and impact of historical conspiracy theories on literature, movies, media, or any other area of popular culture. Presenters are encouraged to examine the idea of conspiracy itself; but also any of the meta-aspects the use, characterization, or even reference to conspiracy creates. Possible topics of inquiry include, but are by no means limited to: Freemasons; ; Alchemy and other alternate forms of science/philosophy; Gnosticisim; Templar Knights; Illuminati; The Holy Grail / Merovingian Dynasties;
Hollow earth and other alternate cosmologies; Cagilistro , St. Germain, The Wandering Jew, and other legends of immortality...
Participants are encouraged to look not only at these types of theory and text, but at their implications in a broad and multidisciplinary sense. Possible issues could include but are not limited to:
-Masonic symbols in film, effect or affect?
-The conspiracy presented as a hero/villain in literature/film
-Issues of the occult in presentation of conspiracy
-The question of secret knowledge, both as plot device and as cultural marker
-The holy grail and popular imagination
-Codes and Cryptograms, re-interpreting texts to fit the conspiracy plotline
-Or any additional line of inquiry related to perception or presentation of the historical conspiracy
Presentations from a variety of academic and critical perspectives and disciplines are welcome and should be suitable for a 15 to 20-minute reading/presentation time limit. Please e-mail a one page abstract and a working bibliography (optional) along with your contact information to the address below. The deadline for submission is November 10.
Todd B Stevens
Co-Chair Conspiracy Theories and Claims for the Paranormal Area
Villanova University
toddbstevens@earthlink.net
