CfP: Seeking abstract for book chapter proposals for collected work "Persevering through the Pandemic: Communication, Creativity and Connection "

 A global pandemic, contentious elections, protests for racial justice, 2020 has been a challenging year. We want to hear your stories and scholarship about how you are faring through this pandemic. We are seeking chapter proposals for an edited collection examining the many ways in which people are persevering under such extraordinary circumstances. Persevering through the Pandemic: Communication, Creativity and Connection will focus on the many ways people have adapted and/or adopted strategies of resilience, comfort, and productivity in the face of recent societal and social stressors. The collection will offer a broad academic focus and consider a host of methodological approaches to the topic. We envision the aforementioned qualities as the book’s structure and seek abstracts fitting within these specific areas: resilience, comfort, productivity. 

Scholarship related to Communication, Storytelling, Media Studies about relationships (roles and shifts), protests, politics, the election, work, (virtual) teaching, journalism, media, and newfound passions. Suggested sample topics might include, but are in no way limited to ideas such as:

  • Technologies impact on communication within any of the above areas
  • Media consumption and/or reception
  • Exercise routines and mediation e.g. Peloton workouts or virtual, drop-in exercise classes
  • Nonverbal behaviors in the Zoom classroom space
  • Masks, messaging on masks and/or political polarization of wearing masks
  • Nostalgia and binging
  • Antithetical approaches to doom scrolling
  • Visual or photographic truths in a post-factual world
  • Culinary television programs and cultivating tranquility; Martha Stewart (or disciples) aspiration/inspiration and method/organization
  • Teaching strategies and communities
  • Isolation and mediation

We are seeking abstracts of 300-500 words length, which should include a theoretical framework and be associated with one of the three topic areas, plus a brief author bio. Please submit abstract and bio to Deborah A. Macey by January 5.