Religions in Digital Games – Heidelberg Journal of Religions on the Internet

Dear Colleagues,

The editors of “Online – Heidelberg Journal of Religions on the Internet” (http://www.online.uni-hd.de/) are pleased to announce the relaunch of the journal. It will come up with a new design as well as improved navigation and search functions. By establishing a peer-review system, we will renew our mission of publishing articles of a high academic standard from a multitude of disciplines.
We herewith invite researchers of all disciplines to hand in articles on their research dealing with religions on the internet. We are currently planning to publish 2 issues a year, one of which will be a special issue addressing a certain topic. The next issue to be published in December 2013 will broach the issues of “Religion in Digital Games” (for further information see Call for Papers below).
The journal is always keen to collect high quality scholarship on issues relating to religions on the Internet and welcomes submissions pertaining to all aspects of theses matters anytime to be published in a future issue! Submissions and queries should be send to the following address:
online.religion@zegk.uni-heidelberg.de.

Best regards,
Simone Heidbrink (in behalf of the editorial team)
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Call for Papers
Religions in Digital Games
Multi-perspective and Interdisciplinary Approaches

Special issue of “Online – Heidelberg Journal of Religions on the Internet”
(http://www.online.uni-hd.de/), due for publication in December 2013!

Over the past few years, the scientific analysis of digital games and their cultural and social impact has become a growing field of research in various scientific disciplines. Sadly, the issue of religion as an (explicit or implicit) factor in the construction and reception of game worlds, rules and mechanics has been vastly underrepresented in most studies on the field. This negligence seems rather unjustified given the vast presence of e.g. religious symbols, narratives and player actions in popular games like The Elder Scrolls: Skyrim , Bioshock: Infinite and many others.

The special issue on “Religion in Digital Games” seeks to contribute to filling this gap in games research through a multi-perspective and interdisciplinary approach. We herewith invite scholars from Religious Studies, Cultural Studies, Social Studies, Media Studies, Game Studies, Educational Studies, Economics, Theology and other related disciplines to hand in proposals for possible articles which deal with all kind of religious aspects in the context of digital games, i.e. computer games, console games, mobile games.

The articles could (among others) broach the issue of
* game aesthetics
* gaming culture
* reception and recipient research
* ludology
* narratology
* content analysis

In order to present a broad insight into the aspects of religion in digital games, we invite theoretical, methodical and empirical studies referring to these or related topics. We are looking forward to receive the title and a short abstract (max. 250 words) of the planned article until June 30th 2013. The language of the Journal is English, for proposals in other languages please contact the editors beforehand.

Further important dates and deadlines are:
July 15th Notification on the acceptance of your proposal by the editors.
September 30th Submission deadline for full article.
October 15th Deadline for comments, requests of revisions by the editors (if necessary).
November 15th Submission deadline for revised articles.
December 1st Publication of the Online Journal.

Please send your abstract and / or further inquiries to the following e-mail address:
online.religion@zegk.uni-heidelberg.de.
— online – Heidelberg Journal of Religions on the Internet
http://www.online.uni-hd.de/
Institute for Religious Studies
University of Heidelberg
Akademiestraß 4-8 D – 69117 Heidelbergphone ++49-(0)6221-547482