M/C: A Journal of Media and Culture  http://www.media-culture.org.au

M/C is currently seeking submissions for the “Self” issue, to be
published in September 2002.

Me? "I" am everywhere. Philosophers, social scientists, behavioural
and medical scientists have been investigating the existence and
significance of individual consciousness, self-perception, self-
promotion and other notions of "the self" for centuries.
The 'self' permeates contemporary culture. Through capitalist
individualism and conservative politics 'self' must be considered
first above the needs of the group - "looking after no. 1". In
therapeutic, religious and consumerist discourses of self-
improvement, self-help or self-actualisation, 'self' is obscured; an
entity which needs to be sought and found, changed or accommodated,
an entity which one needs to become "in touch with". Within these
permutations "self" carries the assumption of its own existence, as
either a stable, unchanging entity or as a contextually sensitive and
dynamic identity. Either way, self is individuality - one's own
interests.

'Self' is commonly a prefix which expresses an action done to one's
self (self-hatred, self-discipline) or which describes an attribute
of an entity (self-concerned, self-contained). It can also be a
suffix, which carries a level of self-reflexivity (myself, yourself).
The editors of M/C invite submissions of no more than 2000 words on
the subject of "self", and welcome various interpretations of the
term. Possible topics include, but should not be limited to "the
first person era", first person media and Reality TV, 'factual'
depictions of self in various media; notions of "true selves" within
auto/biographical acts such as in writing, personal Webpages or
documentary, the cultural celebration of self-awareness and autonomy,
ideas relating to subjectivity and identity politics, social language
behaviour such as im/politeness and its effects on 'self'; identity
play in different media, the contextual variability and multiplicity
of 'self', conflicting identities - for instance "immigrants against
further immigration" groups and gay christians.
But enough navel gazing, send your submissions to M/C!

Editors Felicity Meakins [log in to unmask] and
Kate Douglas [log in to unmask]

Article deadline: 26 August 2002





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