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The Politics of the Page: Visuality and Materiality in Illustrated Periodicals across Cold War Borders"

Photo: Julia Eckel

Call for Papers: Online Seminar 13 May 2022

Deadline: 15 March 2022 / Workshop: 13 May 2022

Keynote, by Distinguished Professor Thy Phu (University of Toronto)

Illustrated periodicals have played a critical role in disseminating and performing Cold War cultural politics across national and ideological borders. In their entanglement with state or institutional actors, artistic or sports organisations, revolutionary groups and liberation movements, amongst others, periodicals have shaped notions of belonging for diverse readers, expressed in a host of visual and material formats.

The workshop will focus on the design and materiality of illustrated periodicals produced and read against the backdrop of the Cold War. We invite contributions that explore aesthetic, historical, theoretical or methodological approaches to the 'politics of the page'. We are interested in periodicals' visual and material strategies as these manifest in the layout, typography, uses of photography, choices of format, ways of production, reproduction or circulation, during the Cold War. 

 

We particularly welcome studies that,

  • Traverse geographical, aesthetic or ideological borders.
  • Trace continuities or discontinuities of visual or material motifs across different periodicals.
  • Reflect on the role of photomechanical and photographic reproduction techniques in the context of the Cold War.  
  • Identify particular Cold War aesthetics, or, 
  • Challenge bipolar narratives and offer alternative mappings.
  • Explore local, national, regional or international characteristics in Cold War periodical design and production.
  • Examine the role of Cold War politics in the traditionally non-political press, such as special interest periodicals on film, fashion or sports.
  • Express, comply or challenge political power in the relationship of form to content.
  • Reflect on theoretical or methodological approaches to studying visual and material forms and ideological communication.  
     

The workshop aim is twofold: to contribute towards a cross- and trans-disciplinary international network of researchers on Cold War illustrated periodicals and, to produce a scholarly volume on the subject.

 

Proposals for 15 minutes short presentations should include a short abstract (aprox. 300 words), name, institutional affiliation, email address, and a short bio sent to workshop organisers Vincent Fröhlich () and Mary Ikoniadou () by the 15th March 2022.

This international Workshop is organized by Vincent Fröhlich (DFG Research Unit "Journal Literature", Germany) and Mary Ikoniadou (UCLan Research Centre for Migration, Diaspora and Exile, UK). In cooperation with Gioula Koutsopanagou (ETMIET Research Unit, Research Centre for Modern Greece ΚΕΝΙ, at Panteion University, Greece).

Cooperation Partners