[KS] CALL FOR PAPERS “SQUID GAME” AND BEYOND: Utopia and Dystopia in contemporary Asian Popular Culture

[Micky Lee]

CALL FORPAPERS

“SQUIDGAME” AND BEYOND: Utopia and Dystopia in contemporary Asian Popular Culture

 

April13-15, 2023

InternationalHybrid Conference (virtual and in-person)

CentralConnecticut State University

NewBritain, Connecticut

 

OrganizingCommittee: Dr. Alfredo Rosete (Economics); Dr. Yeojin “Julie” Kim(Communication); Dr. Karen A. Ritzenhoff (Communication and WGSS)

 

Abstractsdue: October 15, 2022 (extended deadline)


Of late, TV shows, fashion, music,sitcoms, movies, video games, comics, and cartoons of India, South Korea,Japan, and other Asian countries have entered the popular consciousness ofAmerican consumers. From Bollywood, Anime to K-Drama, J-Horror to manga, K-pop tofast fashion, the influences of Asian popular culture are capturing theimagination around the globe. While they influence stylistic and aestheticchoices in the United States, these forms of popular culture also hold up amirror that both critiques and shows the possibilities and media convergences ofour contemporary societies. 

 

The hit Netflix series SquidGame (2021), for example, brings together themes such as debt andunemployment to create a dystopian vision of contemporary capitalist society.On the other hand, the contemporary Bollywood classic, Lagaan, weavesthe game of cricket into a tale of national liberation. The American sitcom Boondockscaters to predominantly African American youth and is influenced by Japaneseanime. Films such as Ringu from Japan and its many American adaptationssparked a tsunami of a new horror genre, called J-Horror. Video Game culturehas long been transnational where shows are not only adapted for differentconsumer markets but where more and more users interact across geographicalboundaries.  Fashion influencers from thePhilippines, South Korea and Japan allow their followers to tune in across theworld. 

 

We seek to create a hybrid internationalconference (virtual and in-person) with presenters from a broad background offields, disciplines, and countries who shed light on how social and digitalmedia, film, television, and popular culture of various Asian countriescritique contemporary societies, and explore our greater human possibilities. Ourorganizing committee is part of Asian, Asian American and Pacific IslanderStudies (AAAPI) at Central Connecticut State University.

 

Potential topics can includebut are not limited to: 

 

*Squid Game and its representation of classstruggle, violence, migration, gender, and economic disparities

*Watching Squid Game with or without subtitles: thesignificance of the original language for distribution of popular culture

*Comparing the elite in Squid Game and The HungerGames 

*J-Horror and its adaptations in the English-speakingmarket

*How does popular culture presentalternatives to contemporary social, economic, and political institutions 

*How certain pieces of popular culture critique contemporary and historical institutions 

*How does the productionprocess of certain pieces of culture relate to dystopian or utopian visions ofthe future 

*Alternate histories and theirmeaning in certain digital and social media 

*The role of pop culture increating an image of contemporary Asia and its influence on tourism, mediaindustry, advertising/marketing strategies, and/or public policy 

*Synergies and contradictionsbetween contemporary and traditional culture in television, movies, and videogames, etc. 

 *Use of fiction to critique current historical processes 

*The role of states in promotingcultural productions

*Transnational and Intra-regionalinfluences of Asian pop culture

*Impact of pop cultural imaginaries onmigration

 

Please submit a 300 words abstract as well as short bioby October 15, 2022 to yeojinkim at ccsu.edu and ritzenhoffk at ccsu.edu 

with “ASIAN POPULAR CULTURE_Your Name” in the subjectline. 

 

Timeline:

Abstract submission deadline: October 15, 2022

Decision for abstract acceptance: November 1, 2022

 

It would be helpful if you were able to indicate whetheryou would like to attend the conference in person or join virtually. Pleasetake this short survey (see link below). 

https://forms.office.com/Pages/ShareFormPage.aspx?id=cMUpI4C1I0KAO0J9gA6BtivIMF9iq8tKkON6PjpjGx9UMEhLRktRTFdCN0xVQzZKSEg2UDdFNVFHUS4u&sharetoken=BV561EfKXyRxnyjC4mAF

 

There will bea conference fee to cover food and printing expenses. The fee will be adjustedto reflect participation of students, faculty, precarious labor, generalaudience and whether attendance is virtual. 

 
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