Excursions – Virus

*Excursions: **The Postgraduate Journal for Interdisciplinary Research*, 

invites submissions around the theme of ‘Virus’. <!–more–> 

Virus: – a submicroscopic infective particle typically consisting of 

nucleic 

acid coated in protein, which is able to multiply with the cells of a host 

organism 

– an infection or disease caused by such an agent 

– piece of code surreptitiously introduced into a system in order to 

corrupt 

it or destroy data 

Origins: From Middle English denoting ‘snake venom’ 

From Latin, literally translated as slimy, liquid poison 

Derivations: Virulent, meaning extremely severe or harmful in its effects, 

highly infective, bitterly hostile 

Viral, meaning of the nature of, caused by or relating to a virus or 

viruses 

– (OED Definitions) 

The logic of the virus has become endemic. Viral ads mirror contagion to 

convey their message. Computers and systems are struck down by infections. 

Pigs and birds are transformed into sinister hosts. Terrorists form cells 

and virulent covert networks, globalisation becomes a creeping 

homogenisation attacking the idiosyncratic, and media rapidly evolve to 

overcome any censorial attempt at information immunisation. 

We all live with the virus. Or perhaps, as the planet’s most abundant 

biological entity, the virus lives with us. It crosses boundaries of 

species and holds genotype in little regard, finding hosts in every form 

of 

life. This tenacious agent has escaped the confines of laboratories and 

medical 

institutions, and insinuated itself into all strands of our cultural, 

political, and technological discourses. 

But how do these different spheres understand the virus, the viral, the 

virulent? Do we stray too far from the precision of a scientific 

definition 

in our familiar use of the virus? What does it say about our conception of 

humanity and its endeavours that we find such a compelling and pervasive 

model in the virus? And what do the different figurings of the viral 

across 

disciplines have to tell one another? 

In order to explore these and other questions, *Excursions* invites 

submissions that examine the theme of ‘Virus’, in all its potential 

interpretations. Submissions may wish to consider, but are by no means 

limited to: 

– The virus as a model and/or metaphor 

– The politics and economics of the pandemic, epidemic and endemic 

– Viral dissemination 

– The synthetic and the virus 

– The viral and systemic vulnerability 

– The socio-cultural and scientific history of the virus 

– Life, death and the place of the virus in evolution 

– Contamination and the text/body/performance 

– Parasitism vs. viral infection 

– Viral hosts and hospitality 

– The rhetoric of viruses 

– The virus-like spread of *global** **terror* and fear 

– Artistic (re)presentations of/responses to virulent virtual media 

– What does immunity mean? 

– Viral identities – from living with infection to infectious trends 

– The antiseptic space 

Papers should be between 3,000 and 5,000 words, follow MHRA formatting 

guidelines and be submitted via the *Excursions *website at 

http://www.excursions-journal.org.uk/cfp.html 

. Please contacthttp://www.excursions-journal.org.uk/cfp.html for more information.