Call for Papers

Constructions of the Exotic in Europe and North America, 18th-21st Centuries

Material Culture Review solicits articles for a special issue on the theme
of constructing the exotic. We are looking for articles that examine the
question of how a person, an object or a work of art comes to be seen as
exotic. How is "foreignness" constructed? How is one culture appropriated
and domesticated by another?

The goal here is not to show the constructed nature of the concept of the
exotic. Rather, papers should emphasize the processes by which something is
made exotic, including the stories that surround an object, the ways in
which an object is exhibited, and how the representation of an object
affects whether or not it is perceived as foreign. We invite papers that
examine exoticization and domestication in relation to territory and place,
agency and identity - papers that examine not only what is exoticized but
also who does the exoticizing and how they do it. We are particularly
interested in analyses of the exotic in Europe and North America that are
grounded in social and political contexts.

Proposed Research Topics

1. Representation
The first topic has to do with representations that blur the border between
documentation and fiction, realism and exoticism. How do certain items
construct certain identities? For example, how do Indian clothing, Chinese
dishes and tobacco accessories contribute to the identity of those who wear
or use them? How are these objects used in the art world, in the theatre, or
in people's homes? How do 18th-century engravings used to illustrate stories
of voyages, as well as more "scientific" representations (photographs,
museums, etc.) produced at the beginning of the 19th century, construct the
exotic? Papers on this topic will look at what actually makes something
appear exotic, what increases or decreases the "foreign" quality in the eyes
of the maker and consumer.

2. Display
The second topic pays attention to the material culture, words and gestures
surrounding objects - to displays that make them look exotic or - on the
contrary - domestic. Here, it is important to examine how the objects are
displayed in their place of purchase, in people's homes and in museums. How
are they exhibited? What physical context (furniture, frames, light) is used
to present them? What words are used to describe them? Do these things
qualify the objects as exotic or, rather, do they underemphasize their
"foreign" quality?

3. Materiality
Once the things are acquired, how are they repaired, reformed or recomposed?
What kind of material transformations do these imported, re-territorialized
objects undergo? It may be through a process of hybridization with other
artifacts, or through a process of integration: a fragment inserted into a
piece of furniture can alter the entire object. Exoticism is reinforced, for
example, in the bronze or silver rings on an Asian vase. We encourage papers
that study the processes of fragmentation or expansion, and the use of
specific materials (precious and tropical wood, stone, metal, etc.) in the
creation of "exotic" objects.


Articles should be 20-30 double-spaced pages, including endnotes. In
addition, we encourage the submission of:
o research reports (10-20 pages, including endnotes);
o exhibition reviews (10-15 pages, including endnotes);
o research notes (5-10 pages);
o book reviews (notes and comments less than 5 pages)
on this theme.

Please submit manuscripts by December 15, 2013 to No?mie Etienne at
ne477@nyu.edu.

Laura Bast
Material Culture Review
Revue de la culture mat?rielle
Cape Breton University
PO Box 5300, 1250 Grand Lake Road
Sydney, Nova Scotia, B1P 6L2
Telephone 902.563.1990
Fax 902.563.1910

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