CFP: Dead Kennedys and Philosophy

Dead Kennedys and Philosophy: Edited By: Christopher M. Innes

Abstracts of essays are requested on the 1970s and 1980s American Punk Rock group the Dead Kennedys. Essays will become part of chapters in an edited collection titled Dead Kennedys and Philosophy (working title). The publishers are McFarland & Company, Inc.I am aiming for a publication date of December 28, 2026.

The Dead Kennedys are a prominent part of American punk history. It is said by many that the Dead Kennedys are the premier American punk rock band. This book will contain MLA style essays about the Dead Kennedys, their music, and culture. The book will focus on music, culture, social and political expression and any matter that an essay contributor might suggest to write about. Chapters will be organized to discuss the different aspects of the Dead Kennedys. The book is aimed primarily at philosophy readers interested in the Dead Kennedys and punk rock in general with a cross over to musicology and aesthetics, though it is also expected that a significant minority who are not scholars will read this book.

Chapters must focus on topics that are closely connected to the music, life, work, or cultural impact of the Dead Kennedys and especially to the Album: Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables, and their other three albums can be a point of  interest.  Their singles: “California Über Alles,” “Holiday in Cambodia,” and other singles can also be a focal point of an analysis. Reference to Jello Biafra and his political outlook and activism would create a nice chapter. The Dead Kennedys’ later metamorphosis can also be discussed in essays. Chapters should not be merely exposition, nor merely expressions of Dead Kennedys’ ideas, but should philosophically and fairly assess aspects of the Dead Kennedys. The prose style should show research that is academically unpretentious. The essays will have philosophy shine light on an understanding of the Dead Kennedys.

Submission Guidelines:

1. Submission deadline for abstracts (350-500 words) and CVs: November 26, 2024
2. Submission deadline for drafts of accepted papers: March 24, 2025
3. Submission deadline for final essays of accepted papers: June 30, 2025
4. Peer Review starting on: late December 2025

Kindly submit abstracts by e-mail (with or without Word attachment) to [email protected]

Possible topics, and areas in which essays can be researched.

Dislike of Hippies and their “sell out.”
Bay band or people’s band
Artwork – clothes pictures

Did the Sex Pistols influence the Dead Kennedys?
Archaeological status
Liberal or Socialist
Society – social life of punks
Stage performance