Graphic Narratives: Thinking through Visual Research

Sharon Ong Announcement
Location
Singapore
Subject Fields
Anthropology, Art, Art History & Visual Studies, Cultural History / Studies, Literature, Sociology

CALL FOR PAPERS DEADLINE | 5 OCT 2022

This workshop is jointly organised by the Asia Research Institute, and the NUS Department of Japanese Studies; with support from the Ministry of Education Academic Research Grant Tier 1. 

Visual narratives are a central part of many cultures across Asia, both historically and in the present. They are fast gaining traction as media for conducting, analysing, and communicating complex research. In recent times, comics are increasingly prominent across social science, public health, and humanities scholarship–as evidenced by a growing number of academic publications. This workshop brings together researchers with backgrounds in literary studies, anthropology, visual studies, art history and practice, sociology, and other related fields to discuss synergistic approaches to this rich, hybrid medium. Our aim is to open new directions in the studies of graphic narratives, including but not limited to formal analysis, comics in teaching, and non-fiction comics.

We invite scholars and artists interested in visual storytelling, to present their work at a two-day workshop at the Asia Research Institute at the National University of Singapore. The workshop aims to foster conversations on graphic narratives, particularly, comics, and their numerous conceptual and methodological possibilities. While we are interested in narratives in the Asian context, we are open to papers that explore topics that cut across regions.

Note: By comics, we refer to a broad range of graphic narratives that tell stories through sequential art in combination with text. These include, but are not limited to, graphic novels, manga, manhwa, comic books, comic strips, web comics, and other forms of sequential art.

SUBMISSION OF PROPOSALS

Paper proposals should include a title, an abstract (250 words maximum) and a brief personal biography of 100 words for submission. Please use the paper proposal form and send it in word document file to arios@nus.edu.sg by 5 October 2022. Successful applicants will be notified by late October 2022.

Please also include a statement confirming that your paper has not been published previously, it is not committed elsewhere, and that you are willing to revise your paper for potential inclusion in a special issue submission (in collaboration with the workshop organisers and other participants).

Panel presenters will be required to submit drafts of papers 6,000 words by 1 January 2023. These drafts will be circulated to fellow panellists and discussants in advance. Drafts need not be fully polished. Indeed, we expect that presenters will be open to feedback from fellow participants.

WORKSHOP CONVENORS

Assoc Prof Deborah Shamoon
Department of Japanese Studies, National University of Singapore

Dr Chitra Venkataramani
Department of Sociology and Anthropology, National University of Singapore

Contact Information

Sharon Ong (she/her)
Assistant Manager (Grants & Events) 

Contact Email
arios@nus.edu.sg