Cinephile 12.1 – Philosophy and New Media

“Inspection” by Julian Faylona

Deadline for draft submissions: September 5th, 2017

Over the past two decades, new media forms have proliferated and become ubiquitous. Similarly, since the mid-1990s, philosophy has asserted its importance and growing relevance to contemporary media studies, in particular with the growth of Film-Philosophy’s journal and conference. Since the intersection between these fields continues to fascinate and inspire debate, philosophical and theoretical discourse must continue to be updated and re-contextualised to account for new ways that digital media is experienced and produced.

In Cinephile 12.1, our contributions to this project will involve pairing philosophy with new media in an attempt to enrich conversations about each. As such, we invite papers that discuss new media (video games, web shows and comics, social media platforms, podcasts, digital art, installations, etc.) or film and television (especially in relation to aspects of digitality or interactivity) in conjunction with philosophical thought. We especially encourage submissions that explore practical “lived” philosophies and global philosophies. Special preference will be given to papers discussing visual media.

Sample questions may include (but are not limited to):

• Can we read attitudes that are symptomatic or characteristic of new media (texts) as reflecting or enacting a changed way of being in the world?
• Netflix, YouTube, and Rabbit are all influential but drastically different new media platforms. How can a specific philosophy or philosopher illuminate a new approach to apparatus theory that furthers our understanding of one or all of these platforms?
• Are new media texts only capable of illustrating philosophical claims or can they philosophize on their own?
• Are there ethical dilemmas specific to new media?
• Is there a particular philosopher or philosophy that allows us to understand a new media text in a new way? Does this text enact or embody that philosophy? Does it critique or update it?
• From the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge to #BlackLivesMatter, new media platforms have become essential to a wide range of activism. How can philosophy clarify the manner in which new media platforms have been utilized for social activism?
• Does a new media text present a changed view towards modernity, religion, or structures of power? Can this change be understood in relation to the evolution of philosophical thought?
• Does a new media text propose a new ontology of cinema/media? Does it reveal a changed view on the nature of reality?

We encourage submissions from graduate students, postdoctoral researchers, and faculty. Papers should be between 2,000-3,500 words, follow MLA guidelines, and include a detailed works cited page, as well as a short biography of the author. Submissions should be directed toward submissions@cinephile.ca and general inquiries toward info@cinephile.ca. Submissions are due by September 5th, 2017.

Cinephile is the University of British Columbia’s film journal, published with the continued support of the Centre for Cinema Studies. Previous issues have featured original essays by such noted scholars as Lee Edelman, Slavoj Žižek, Paul Wells, Murray Pomerance, Ivone Marguiles, Matt Hills, Barry Keith Grant, K.J. Donnelly, and Sarah Kozloff. Since 2009, the journal has adopted a blind review process and has moved to annual publication. It is available both online and in print via subscription and selected retailers.

Incoming editors: Morgan Harper and Zoë Laks