Read the longer CFP or the abridged version here:

Editors Sidney I. Dobrin, Cathlena Martin, and Laurie Taylor seek
proposals for a new collection of original articles that address the use
and place of space and ecology in video games. This collection will
examine video games in terms of the spaces they create and use, the
metaphors of space on which they rely, and the ecologies that they
create within those spaces. This collection will address the significant
intersections in terms of how and why video games construct space and
ecology as they do, and in terms of how those constructions shape
conceptions of both space and ecology.

The editors seek proposals for innovative papers that explore the
intersections between ecocriticism, theories of spatiality, and video
games. Ecocriticism of video games straddles studying ecology as the
Earth (or alternate world setting), nature, and land, while adding
physical representation and experimentation through video game spaces
and other technological spaces. These video games spaces create their
own spatial practice through their representation and through the
players' lived interaction with the gaming environments as constructed
worlds. Video game spatial analysis comprises the created representation
of space in the games, the players' experiences with those spaces, and
the nuances by which those spaces are constructed and conveyed,
including their portrayal of cultural norms for space and spatiality. In
addition, the editors are looking for several papers that specifically
address children's culture and education in terms of video games, space,
and ecology.

Editors seek contributions which explore and initiate conversations
using the triple lens of ecology, space, and video games about areas
that may, but will not necessarily, pertain to:

* Role of imaginary space in video games
* Implications of Soja’s Thirdspace and other spatial theories on
video games
* Artificial intelligence (AI) and artificial life (AL) and the
creation of artificial ecologies
* Games specifically designed for education about ecological
concerns, places, or uses (Oregon Trail, free online games)
* Over-all ecological educational/conceptual effect of video games
* Environment in video games and how it is constructed spatially
and rhetorically
* Relationship of the players to the game worlds arenas,
landscapes, cities, and worlds
* Rhetorical effect of nostalgic and romantic representations of
nature
* How video games effect eco literacies
* Rhetorical effect of architecture and the creation of game spaces
* Function of utopian and dystopian World Constructions
* Creation of communities within artificial lands (often in
MMORPGs, like Everquest homes and communities)
* Ecologies of play: evolutionary change and progression (powerups
and enemy progression in relation to evolutionary models); cycle of life
and death and the disruption of that cycle with re-play
* Game creatures / anthropomorphism; cyborgs / cloning
* Relationship of science and nature (control in games like Zoo
Tycoon, science as a perversion of nature sci-fi games)
* Analysis of ecolological tropes: mastery or control of nature
(SIMCITY and the natural disasters as the opponent; land as something to
be controlled and colonized in Civilization)
* Cultural construction of nature (prevalence of post apocalyptic
worlds in Japanese games like Final Fantasy)
* Virtual zoos viewing and capturing 'nature' (photographs of alien
creatures in Beyond Good and Evil, capturing creatures in Pokemon)
* Intersections of eco-theories and visual rhetoric as portrayed in
video games
* Historical representations of physical spaces and its
relationship to the cultural definitions of those spaces (Battlefield
1942, Medal of Honor)

All articles should pertain specifically to game studies scholarship
and/or pedagogy. Articles that lend to the theoretical and critical
scholarship of video game studies will be favored. The editors are less
interested in submissions that simply offer readings of particular games
in order to identify that a game might be “read” as ecological.

Please send a proposal of 500-750 words and a contributor's bio by
November 1, 2004 to (preferably) e-mail or snail mail address below.
(Early inquiries and submissions are highly encouraged). Authors will be
notified of acceptance by December 1, 2004. Final drafts of articles
will be due: April 1, 2004 [I'm guessing they mean 2005 --Clancy].

For more information, please email the editors or see the longer CFP
online: http://www.nwe.ufl.edu/~ltaylor/ecology.html

Sdobrin@english.ufl.edu, Cmartin@english.ufl.edu, or Ltaylor@english.ufl.edu

Sidney Dobrin, Cathlena Martin, and Laurie Taylor
Department of English
University of Florida
PO Box 117310
Gainesville, Florida, 32611-7311