Dear all,

Animation Studies 2.0 is currently accepting submissions for the following theme:

“Animation and Public Criticism.” Deadline for submissions: September 1, 2023

You can find the full CFP below.

Best wishes,

Anastasiia and Carmen

Co-editors of Animation Studies 2.0

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CFP Animation and Public Criticism

(Deadline: September 1st, 2023)

Animation and Public Criticism

Jane Pilling wrote in her introduction to A Reader in Animation Studies from 1997 that over the years animation had become “a no-go area for most film critics.” Almost three decades later we can witness the opposite; a lot of interest for animated media comes from the public film discourse. As a result, frequently appearing as a topic of public film criticism, animation today has developed into a productive theme and tool for public-facing film reviews. From animation-specific publications to YouTube video essays to dedicated film forums, animation is widely discussed by its professionals, critics, and fans.

Yet, while some argue for the value of public criticism, others warn about its potential pitfalls. One of the examples of contentious relationships between animation and public discourse is the most recent edition of Sight & Sound magazine’s list of “The 100 Greatest Films of All Time.” Known to favor old-timey live-action productions, every decade the publication recycles the same couple of titles and fails to acknowledge the evolution of the animation field. Last year, the poll reaffirmed its reputation by only featuring two animated films. This incident again sparked a heated public discussion of the potential harm that the neglect of animation can cause to the development of the form.

For this theme, we seek contributions that look from any perspective into the role that animation plays in the field of public criticism and vice versa. We are interested in exploring how public criticism shapes how we talk about animation in the broadest sense of the term. We thus invite posts examining how public critics approach animated works, what position animation takes within the larger discussions of visual arts, and how animation is used as a tool to present public criticism.

Topics may include, but are not limited to:

Language around animation in public criticism;
Social media and animation criticism;
Animation and user-generated reviews;
Animated video essays and film reviews;
Animation and “The Greatest Films of All Time” lists;
Animation and public scholarship;
Animation critics and animated critics;
News and media outlets dedicated to animation.

Posts that are between 600 and 900 words discussing any aspect of the above topics are welcome. Contributors are encouraged to include clips, and at least one image (less than 2MB in size), to support their posts. Please also include a short bio (100 words max) and 3 keywords. All permissions are the responsibility of the contributor.

Please contact co-editors Carmen Hannibal ([log in to unmask]) and Anastasiia Gushchina ([log in to unmask]), and managing editor Cristina Formenti ([log in to unmask]) with submissions or questions.

Anastasiia Gushchina (she/her)

PhD candidate, Graduate Assistant—Teaching and Research

Department of Communication, Media and Film

University of Calgary

@asgushchina

New publication: “Towards A Materialist Theory of Animated Documentary.” Animation Studies, vol. 18, June 2023.