CALL FOR PAPERS: TRANSITIONS 9 – new directions in comics studies 2021 Online 8-10 April 2021 Hosted By BIRKBECK, UNIVERSITY OF LONDON   Following the cancellation of Transitions 2020, we are delighted to re-announce the call for papers for Transitions 9 in 2021. Transitions is a platform for emerging research in comics that is free to attend and participate. This event is focused towards postgraduate and early career speakers, and draws a diverse crowd of both new and more established researchers, as well as creators, aficionados and other interested parties. Our aim is to build connections between comics scholars working in diverse contexts of research and practice, to provide a platform for productive debate, and to create a space from which further collaborations can emerge. Key note speakers: Prof Dr Sylvia Kesper-Biermann (Universität Hamburg) and Dr Nick Sousanis (San Francisco State University) Respondent(s): TBA Rather than adopting a narrow theme, the shape and identity of the programme will emerge from the submitted papers. We thus welcome abstracts for 20 minute papers, or pre-constituted panels of three, on topics including (but not limited to): Comics, comix, comic strips, graphic novels, manga, manhwa, bande dessinée superheroes, adventure, war, horror, fantasy, crime, romance, humour & other genres; documentary/historical/journalistic comics, autobiographical/biographical modes, graphic medicine politics of representation and inclusion in comics texts and productions, formal approaches, transgressive comics, educational and didactic comics, comics for young adults & children readers and fandoms, creators, comics & the law, publishing histories, web-comics & comics exhibitions, transnational circulation, political economy of comics Since Transitions this year will be held through video conferencing, we ask that presenters record a 20 minute presentation in advance, which will be followed by live q&a sessions for each panel. Further details for pre-recorded presentations will be shared once proposals have been confirmed. As always, Transitions 9 will be free and open to all. Please send your proposal to transitionssymposium@gmail.com. Please attach your abstract of 250-300 words plus a short biographical note (preferably as a Word document), indicating ‘abstract’ in the email subject line and your name in the file’s title. This year we are also seeking volunteers to sketchnote / visually record each panel, in order to compile a visual record of the conference. If you’d be interested in recording a panel, please email us a couple of (low-res) images or a link to an online portfolio at the above address with ‘sketchnoting’ in the subject line. You do not need to be submitting a paper to take part in this. The deadline for submissions is 7 March. We aim to notify applicants by 14 March. With best wishes, The Transitions Team John Miers, Tobias Yu-Kiener, Chantal Cointot and Hallvard...