Published Issue 23 (2023) "inter-"

Call for Papers: Issue 23 (2023) ‘Inter-’

With Aotearoa New Zealand and the Asia-Pacific region as a backdrop – but not its only stage – Junctures seeks to address the matters which concern us all as we negotiate the contemporary environment. Where Junctures 22 focused on how the notion of ‘multi-’ enables us to make connections between seemingly unrelated phenomena and in so doing generate solutions for an increasingly complex world, this issue seeks to further this debate by inviting contributions on the notion of ‘inter-’.

In an increasingly polarised world, what is to be gained by looking anew at the spaces in-between entrenched oppositions? What alternatives can be imagined through an exploration of the spaces in-between constructs, whether disciplinary, philosophical, critical, artistic, social, political, cultural, or otherwise? What implicitly democratising and enabling impulses are at play in the fluid spaces between fixed meanings or suppositions?

Possible topics for discussion include – but are by no means limited to – the following:

• Interdisciplinarity: the potential of interdisciplinary teams to find synergies, creative solutions and new perspectives is well understood as a research methodology across a variety of sectors, while interdisciplinary studies in educational contexts enable complex questions to be analysed from different disciplinary perspectives. How can different disciplines collaborate and complement each other to address complex problems? How can we bridge the gap between different areas of expertise and create a common language that allows for effective communication and collaboration? What are the benefits and challenges of interdisciplinary work, and how can these be overcome? What is the role of interdisciplinarity in promoting social justice and addressing pressing global issues, such as climate change and inequality? We welcome contributions that reflect on the successes, failings and learnings from interdisciplinary approaches and projects in educational and other settings.
• Internationalism: the past two years have seen the world confront a global pandemic, an accelerating climate emergency, and a shifting balance of power in global geopolitics exacerbated by the renewed threat of nuclear conflict arising out of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The responses to Covid, climate and conflict have reignited debates about the notion of “the international community” and the value of internationalism as a socio-political and cultural construct in the context of gloablisation. Does internationalism still have a place in promoting cooperation and understanding between nations and cultures, especially against a backdrop of resurgent nationalisms? How can we address the unequal distribution of resources, power, and influence that often results from international relationships? Does the notion of internationalism still have any currency in addressing issues such as international conflict, poverty, inequality, and working towards a more just and equitable world?
• Interculturalism: While multiculturalism has come to be understood both as the inevitable consequence and the necessary condition of an increasingly diverse and hyper-connected world, how does the notion of interculturalism help us understand how different cultures interact and communicate effectively? What are the benefits and challenges of intercultural exchange? What are the ways in which power imbalances between cultures can be addressed and overcome? What role can interculturalism play in promoting social justice, inclusion, and equality, particularly in the context of globalization and migration? Conversely, in the context of Indigenous people’s struggle for rights within nation states and the diasporic cultures and hybridity that emerge, how do we mitigate the risk of homogenising the heterogeneity within nations and cultural boundaries by framing them as ‘intercultural’?
• Intermediality: In the digital age media forms are becoming increasingly integrated and convergent. How do different forms of media intersect, influence and how are they influenced by one another? How do these intersections and convergences problematise, shape and reflect cultural norms, values, and beliefs? How do different media impact the representation and reception of reality, and what are the implications of these representations for individuals and society? How does intermediality challenge conventional ideas of genre, form, and authorship, and what are the implications of these challenges for creative expression? How does intermediality affect the way we interact with, consume, and engage with creative technologies, and what are the implications of this for society and culture?
• Internet and technology: Given the impact of the Internet and technology on different aspects of our lives, the need for ongoing discussion and debate about the role of technology in shaping our future cannot be overstated. How does the Internet and technology shape our social relationships, communication patterns, and sense of community? What are the implications of the growing dependence on technology for privacy and security, and how can we protect sensitive information in the digital age? How does the increasing availability of information through technology impact the way we think, learn, and make decisions? What are the ethical and moral implications of using technology for surveillance, manipulation, and control? What new creative forms are enabled by the Internet and technology?
• Intersectionality: An understanding of the ways in which different forms of identity intersect and interact to shape experiences of oppression and privilege is crucial in addressing and challenging systemic forms of inequality and discrimination. How do power imbalances based on race, gender, sexuality, class, and other categories of identity reinforce each other and impact marginalized communities? How can theories and practices of social justice be informed by an intersectional understanding of identity and oppression? How can intersectionality be applied in research, activism, and policy-making to address and challenge systemic forms of oppression?

We invite submissions from authors on these or other questions and themes that engage that underlie the notion of ‘inter-’. In the interests of highlighting the resonances and disturbances of dialogue and given the multivalence of the theme, we encourage discussion across boundaries, whether disciplinary, geographic, cultural, social, or economic. In addition to discursive academic articles, Junctures accepts narratives, commentaries and interventions that sit outside conventional academic contexts.

Submission details:

• Please submit a title and abstract of between 500 and 750 words for a finished paper of between 4,00 and 6,000 words accompanied by a short biography including your institutional affiliation by 31 March 2023. Please enquire about submission guidelines for other formats.
• Confirmations: We will let you know if your abstract has been accepted by 14 April 2023.
• Final draft of submission: due by 2 June 2023
• Peer review process: completed by 31 July 2023
• Envisioned publication: September 2023

Editors:

Professor Federico Freschi, Head of College Te Maru Pūmanawa | Creative Practice & Enterprise at Te Pūkenga | Otago Polytechnic
federico.freschi@op.ac.nz

Scott Klenner, Director | Research & Postgraduate Studies at Te Pūkenga | Otago Polytechnic
scott.klenner@op.ac.nz

For more information and further enquiries please email junctures@op.ac.nz.

Published 10 November 2023