Proliferations of Lovecraft: 2nd Global Inclusive Interdisciplinary Conference

Through his view of humanity as something insignificant in contrast to the cosmos, Lovecraft anticipated significant concerns over the uncertainties proper to the twenty-first century. In the current context of the Anthropocene, we are not threatened by physical hyperobjects or monsters he envisioned, but we struggle to accept that we cannot escape the destructive effects of what we continue to call natural catastrophes. In fact, we continue to believe that we are in control of what happens on Earth. Yet we face two undeniable truths: earthquakes, hurricanes, heat waves, raging fires and sometimes viruses cannot be stopped; and our insistence to claim control over the planet brings permanent destructive marks on its surface, waters and atmosphere. While Lovecraft’s monstrous creatures come from distant pasts and futures, the ultimate monster in our own times is humanity itself.

Lovecraft’s legacy and impact is evident in the first decades of the twenty-first century. Contemporary adaptations of his thought and his monsters remind us that we are not alone on this planet but surrounded by countless life forms who are affected by our actions and whose existence is directly related to ours. Rather than mere repetitions of his plots and ideas, what we see today is countless reworkings of his aesthetic proposals. Creators in multiple fields, from literature, drama, TV and film, to videogames, comics, card sets and even children’s books reshape and appropriate Lovecraft’s creatures and the atmospheres they inhabit in order to express their ideas about social and environmental anxieties of our times. As a result, the number of readers of his stories and letters is constantly growing, and his life and career are being re-evaluated. This makes it essential to call for discussions and analyses of not only the author and his work but also adaptations of his ideas, and to examine why his name has become permanently connected with our darkest fears about our present and future.

Toward this end, Progressive Connexions aims to focus our upcoming, interdisciplinary event on both the alignment of Lovecraft’s works and ideas with the upheavals of our current era, and on the phenomenon of how recurring adaptations of his creatures and atmospheres (in diverse channels of expression) give voice to anxieties around the role of humanity in the first decades of the twenty-first century.

We welcome a diverse series of proposals from academics, independent researchers, artists, performers, religious scholars, authors, psychologists and counselors, and anyone else with an interest in Lovecraft and how today’s world might be shaped by, and shaping, his enduring legacy of monstrous beings and events.
 
 

We particularly welcome creative responses to the subject, such as poetry/prose, short film screenings/original drama, installations, and alternative presentation styles that engage the audience and foster debate.
 

At the end of the conference we will be exploring ways in which we can develop the discussions and dialogues in new and sustainable inclusive interdisciplinary directions, including research, workshops, publications, public interest days, associations, developing courses etc which will help us make sense of the topics discussed during the meeting.

What To Send

The aim of this interdisciplinary conference and collaborative networking event is to bring people together and encourage creative conversations in the context of a variety of formats: papers, seminars, workshops, storytelling, performances, poster presentations, panels, q&a’s, round-tables etc.

300 word proposals, presentations, abstracts and other forms of contribution and participation should be submitted by Friday 16th September 2022. Other forms of participation should be discussed in advance with the Organising Chair.

All submissions will be minimally double reviewed, under anonymous (blind) conditions, by a global panel drawn from members of the Project Development Team and the Advisory Board. In practice our procedures usually entail that by the time a proposal is accepted, it will have been triple and quadruple reviewed.

You will be notified of the panel’s decision by Friday 7th October 2022.

If your submission is accepted for the conference, a full draft of your contribution should be submitted by Friday 17th February 2023

Abstracts and proposals may be in Word, RTF or Notepad formats with the following information and in this order:
a) author(s), b) affiliation as you would like it to appear in the programme, c) email address, d) title of proposal, e) body of proposal, f) up to 10 keywords.

E-mails should be entitled: Lovecraft Submission.

Where To Send

Abstracts should be submitted simultaneously to the Organising Chair and the Project Administrator:

Tony Alcalá (Organising Chair): antonio.alcala@tec.mx
Nsungbemo Ezung (Project Administrator): lovecraft@progressiveconnexions.net

What’s so Special about Progressive Connexions?
A fresh, friendly, dynamic format – at Progressive Connexions we are dedicated to breaking away from the stuffy, old-fashion conference formats, where endless presentations are read aloud off PowerPoints. We work to bring you an interactive format, where exchange of experience and information is alternated with captivating workshops, engaging debates and round tables, time set aside for getting to know each other and for discussing common future projects and initiatives, all in a warm, relaxed, egalitarian atmosphere.

A chance to network with international professionals – the beauty of our interdisciplinary events is that they bring together professionals from all over the world and from various fields of activity, all joined together by a shared passion. Not only will the exchange of experience, knowledge and stories be extremely valuable in itself, but we seek to create lasting, ever-growing communities around our projects, which will become a valuable resource for those belonging to them.

A chance to be part of constructing change – There is only one thing we love as much as promoting knowledge: promoting real, lasting social change by encouraging our participants to take collective action, under whichever form is most suited to their needs and expertise (policy proposals, measuring instruments, research projects, educational materials, etc.) We will support all such actions in the aftermath of the event as well, providing a platform for further discussions, advice from the experts on our Project Advisory Team and various other tools and intellectual resources, as needed.

An opportunity to discuss things that matter to you – Our events are not only about discussing how things work in the respective field, but also about how people work in that field – what are the struggles, problems and solutions professionals have found in their line of work, what are the areas where better communication among specialists is needed and how the interdisciplinary approach can help bridge those gaps and help provide answers to questions from specific areas of activity.

An unforgettable experience – When participating in a Progressive Connexions event, there is a good chance you will make some long-time friends. Our group sizes are intimate, our venues are comfortable and relaxing and our event locations are suited to the history and culture of the event.