CFP: ESSHC panel, April 2010
Call for contributors to Working in the Film & TV Industries panel session, 2010 European Social Science History Conference, Ghent, Belgium.
We welcome papers dealing with any aspect of the histories of those who work in front of and behind the camera as actors, extras, technicians, cinematographers, drivers, writers, makeup artists, directors, secretaries, janitors, and producers. Papers can deal with any period from the origin of the industry to the present. While we expect contributions dealing with the major industries of North America and Western Europe, we are particularly interested in receiving papers from those researching the industries of Asia, Africa, and South America. Possible themes might include: global free trade and cultural nationalism; stars and stagehands; recruitment, training and film schools; workers' political and trade-union activity; the relationship between individual creativity and collectivity; the impact of government (de)regulation; manageria l strategies and ideologies; the shifting division of labour; gender and race; and the historiography of work and workers in the film & TV industry.
On the one hand, government around the world look to the 'creative industries' to regenerate local economies and create jobs while, on the other, workers from Mumbai to Hollywood confronted their employers. High expectation and social conflict create a rich backdrop to the historical study of employment in film and TV. In recent years a good deal has been written especially in the United States. But beyond Hollywood and North America the picture is less clear and the depth of inquiry more uneven. This panel offers the opportunity for researchers familiar with a variety of local settings to share their methodologies and findings, discover what is locally unique and what is common to all workers in the film and TV industries, and articulate new research agendas. It is intended that the best papers will be published as an edited collection of essays.
The European Social Science History Conference (ESSHC) is a biennial event attracting large numbers of scholars from all over the world who meet in myriad small groups rather than large plenaries. Sessions are grouped into Networks, one of which is the Labour Network. We plan to have our session, Working in the Film & TV Industries as component part of this network. The 2010 conference will be held 13-16 April in Ghent, Belgium. For details of the conference produced by the organisers see:
[url]http://www.iisg.nl/esshc/[/url]
To propose a paper for the Working in the Film & TV Industries session contact either Andrew Dawson or Sean Holmes. Our deadline for this panel is 31 January 2009.
Andrew Dawson, School of Humanities & Social Sciences, Old Royal Naval College, Park Row, Greenwich, London SE10 9LS, UK [mailto]a.dawson@gre.ac.uk[/mailto]
Sean Holmes, School of Arts, Brunel University, Uxbridge, Middlesex, UB8 3PH, UK, [mailto]Sean.Holmes@brunel.ac.uk[/mailto]
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Andrew Dawson
School of Humanities,
University of Greenwich
Old Royal Naval College,
Park Row,
Greenwich,
London SE10 9LS
Voice: +44 (0)20 8331 8945
Fax: +44 (0)20 8331 8805
[url]http://w3.gre.ac.uk/~da07/index.html[/url]