Call for Papers

Aether, an online, peer-reviewed journal, invites submission of papers for a special issue focusing on the geographies of interactive visual media and gaming, to be published in early 2008.

Although current research investigates other aspects of gaming, the geographical element of gaming, such as exploration and interaction with complex, three-dimensional environments, remains understudied. And while researchers of other disciplines have applied academic study to games, geography offers a unique perspective to examine not only the human element of gaming, but the spatial element as well. In an attempt to examine both the human and the spatial aspects of gaming, Aether welcomes submissions addressing issues of gaming and space from both geographers and researchers of other disciplines. The issue will place this topic not only within media and virtual geographies, but also within the broader traditions of geography, as research into the representation and social interaction of virtual environments draws on examination of designed environments, representation, and discourse of real landscapes, as well as examining the geographical experience of interaction ! and exploration with virtual environments. Further, this special issue aims to enhance general academic understanding of representation, social interaction, narrative, and play in interaction with virtual landscapes.

Potential themes could include, but are not limited, to the following:
o Representation in virtual environments
o Community in online and offline gaming
o Geopolitical discourse in interactive media
o Gaming in the external environment, such as the home or school
o Play and exploration in game environments
o Narratives of virtual environments

Submissions are due by August 31. For additional information and to submit papers, contact Leigh Schwartz, a doctoral student in the Department of Geography and the Environment, University of Texas at Austin. leighs@mail.utexas.edu