> > >Call For Papers: Cultures of British Television Drama, 13-15 September, 2005 > >Organised by the Centre for Television Drama Studies at the University of >Reading, under the auspices of the AHRB-funded research project, 'Cultures >of British Television Drama, 1960-82', this conference will focus on >television drama in Britain, from the pre-war period of BBC broadcasting to >the present day. The conference aims to give a broad platform to new >research into British television drama from a range of textual, >institutional, and cultural perspectives, and to reopen debates around the >past, present and future of television drama in Britain. > >In particular (though not exclusively) we welcome papers that: > >* address the theoretical and methodological questions arising from the >study of 'popular' television drama and popular culture and/or explore >previously under-explored genres and popular series, serials and single >plays. >* interrogate the categories of serious, radical, progressive, quality, >and/or experimental television drama in British television, offering new >research in these areas >* incorporate research into the institutions and professional practices >which have surrounded the production of British television drama and/or the >micro and macroeconomic factors affecting the production of fiction on >British television >* discuss the output of regionally-based drama departments, independent >production companies, and commercial television companies >* consider drama produced for specific audiences (e.g. children's/youth >drama, women's genres, etc.) and/or think about the complex modes of viewing >at play in the reception of British television drama >* analyse the relationship between British television drama and other media >(e.g. film, theatre, radio) and/or the relationship between British >television drama and the output of other national television services >* draw on new archival research into the history of British television >drama, or that incorporate the first-hand accounts of practitioners working >on television drama over its seventy year history in Britain >* engage with questions of historiography in the study of British television >drama, and analyse how a canonical body of texts and received histories have >been established in previous studies of British Television Drama, >questioning previous methodologies, theoretical assumptions, and the >inclusions and exclusions of television drama study. > > >The conference will run from the 13th to the 15th of September 2005 at the >University of Reading's Bulmershe campus. The conference will begin at >approximately 4 p.m. and will end at approximately 4 p.m. High quality >residential accommodation will be available for the duration of the >conference. Booking details will be circulated at a later date. > >'Cultures of British Television Drama: 1960-82' is directed by Dr Jonathan >Bignell (University of Reading), Dr Stephen Lacey (Manchester Metropolitan >University), and Prof John Ellis (Royal Holloway, University of London) and >combines analytical and archival study of British television drama >programming between these years. The project focuses in particular on >popular generic television drama in the period (based on postdoctoral >research undertaken by Dr. Helen Wheatley at the University of Reading), >institutional cultures and practices, and the regional drama output of >Granada and BBC Pebble Mill (through doctoral research conducted by Lez >Cooke at Manchester Metropolitan University). This conference is the >culmination of a series of symposia organised in conjunction with the Centre >for Television Drama Studies at Reading and the Department of Contemporary >Arts at Manchester Metropolitan University. > >Abstracts of proposed papers should be of 300 words (max.) and should be >submitted by March 21st 2005. Papers should be of no more than 20 mins in >length. We also welcome proposals for panals of three papers - abstracts for >panels should be submitted together, along with a panel title, by March 21st >2005. Please indicate whether you would like to screen material during your >paper (in video or DVD formats). > >Abstracts should be sent to Helen Wheatley via email >([log in to unmask]) or post: Dr Helen Wheatley, Dept. of Film, >Theatre and Television, University of Reading, Bulmershe Court, Earley, >Reading, RG6 1HY. > > >Dr Helen Wheatley > >Centre for Television Drama Studies >Department of Film, Theatre and Television >University of Reading >Bulmershe Court >Woodlands Avenue >Reading RG6 1HY > >0118 378 5894 Michele Hilmes Professor of Media and Cultural Studies Director, Wisconsin Center for Film and Theater Research Department of Communication Arts University of Wisconsin-Madison 6040 Vilas Hall 821 University Ave. Madison, WI 53706 608-262-2543 608-262-2547 608-262-9953 fax ---- Online resources for film/TV studies may be found at ScreenSite http://www.ScreenSite.org