**CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS** to the QUICK the journal magazine of media and cultural studies at Binghamton University Who says “academic” writing can’t be exciting? CONTENT. To the QUICK is seeking essays, articles, and columns that perform thematic, theoretical, and cultural analyses of media arts like TV shows, films, music, or cultural movements or issues such as the recent rise of witchcraft, artificial intelligence, representations of racism, etc. These media forms have in the past been dismissed as unimportant cultural markers when measured against the mass of “literary” studies. To the QUICK continues the work of media literacy and cultural studies programs by drawing attention to the meaning existent in all discussions and arts. We also take the notion of “interdisciplinary” to heart, believing that each discipline is another way of reading the world and yet is part of a very similar critical attitude. To the QUICK therefore takes the stance that each discipline can--by writing in a carefully contextualized fashion--say informative and fascinating things even to readers outside of that field. STYLE. If not already implicit, you should make clear how your analysis is culturally relevant, what issues your reading is bringing up. The less the subject is popular or well-known, the greater the need to point out this cultural relevancy rather than relying on the weight of a theoretical framework. It is not necessary that essays implement critical theory. However, theory is a way of reading the world and can be useful and exciting. Essays should still avoid one of the pitfalls of academic writing: the dropping of esoteric terms or phrases without context. Careful emphasis should be placed on the relevancy of allusions and terminology; the reader should not have to wallow through a dense litter of meaningless prose. Three quick tips: ?Describe your subject with enough context so that the reader does not have to have read/seen/experienced the subject in order to understand and appreciate your argument. ?If your essay was written for a class or published elsewhere, revise it with a TTQ “slant,” explaining special terms or theories enough to make an “outsider” interested. This is the whole point of to the QUICK. ?TTQ does not publish film or music reviews. SUBMIT. Essays and articles: 4500 words maximum Columns: 250 - 1750 words Book reviews: 500 - 1000 words DEADLINE: Monday, March 6th 2000 (postmarked by) Indicate a word count for all text, including endnotes. Style should be according to the latest edition of The Chicago Manual of Style. We are also interested in reprinting pieces published elsewhere. TTQ also needs pieces for our three columns: The Obligatory Old Book Review takes an “old” book, author, or theorist and presents an original argument as to how and why the author’s ideas still apply to or are reflected in today’s society; The Rewrite Department uses experimental non-fiction to comment on contemporary cultural issues; and Slipstream picks out an event of cultural significance from the contributor’s life, describing and analyzing it in a memoir-like, creative style. For examples of these, peruse our journal magazine on-line at www.agoron.com/~matthewk/quick. Our current Fall 1999 issue may be purchased by mailing a check (payable to “Joe Bisz,” the Managing Editor) for $5.00 each plus shipping ($1.18 up to three copies, $1.58 four to six) to our address below. This issue features essays on Xena: Warrior Princess, Comedy Central’s ‘Cow and Chicken’, IKEA furniture company, and the lyrics of Tupac Shakur, among others. Feel free to query with essay, column, or artwork ideas. Queries recommended for book reviews. We occasionally publish “feature” articles that are a little longer; let us know if your piece has been truncated. Electronic submissions are preferred in RTF, Word, or WordPerfect format <[log in to unmask]> but you may also mail manuscripts or correspondence to: to the QUICK English Department PO Box 6000 Binghamton University Binghamton, New York 13902 Include a self-addressed stamped envelope for our reply, and enough postage if you would like your material returned. to the QUICK takes First North American print and electronic rights for all essays, articles, and columns published. ---- For past messages, visit the Screen-L Archives: http://bama.ua.edu/archives/screen-l.html