Contributors sought for book on religion in seriesBookmark and Share

Friday, 20 January 2012 - Reported by John Bowman
Two academics planning a book examining portrayals of religion in Doctor Who and its spin-offs are seeking written contributions.

Andrew Crome and James McGrath are compiling a publication - called Religion and Doctor Who: Time, Space and Faith - consisting of academic essays, and people are being invited to submit 300-word summaries (aka abstracts) for consideration. If accepted, they would need developing for inclusion in the publication. A word limit for the final pieces has not been set yet but even if there is one there will probably be some flexibility.

Dr Crome, who works in the School of English at Trinity College Dublin, told Doctor Who News:
"The book will examine the subject in its widest possible sense, and we encourage articles on any aspect of religion in Doctor Who, including its spin-off TV series, novels and audios, religion in fan cultures, and the use of Doctor Who in religious debates. We're looking for essays that will be both academically rigorous and engaging."

Other aspects of Doctor Who to be looked at are the internet and video games.

Dr McGrath, who works in religion and philosophy at Butler University, Indianapolis, said the book was aimed at a popular-academic readership, and possible subjects - among many - include:

  • Death and the afterlife in Doctor Who and Torchwood
  • The Doctor as a Christ figure
  • Portrayals of non-Christian religions in the classic or revived series
  • Fan response to "religious" episodes
  • The use of Doctor Who by religious organisations

The deadline for the summaries is Friday 20th April and a short biography of the author should accompany them. More details, including a contact e-mail address, are available here.




FILTER: - Books