Call for Chapter Proposals for a Festschrift Honoring William Badke: Advancing Information Literacy, Biblical Scholarship, and Mystery in Theory and Practice

09/15/2025

Atla is seeking proposals for a Festschrift to honor the distinguished career and lasting contributions of William Badke, a pioneering scholar, practitioner, and educator in the field of information literacy. This Festschrift will celebrate Badke’s legacy through original essays that showcase the depth, diversity, and development of information literacy as both a scholarly discipline and an educational practice. While the main focus is on information literacy, we especially welcome proposals that explore the integration of biblical scholarship and/or the mystery genre with information literacy, reflecting the wide range of Badke’s academic and creative pursuits.

About the Volume

William Badke has been a prominent figure in information literacy for over thirty years. His impact includes influential books, such as Research Strategies: Finding Your Way Through the Information Fog, numerous academic articles, and efforts to incorporate information literacy into higher education curricula. Additionally, Badke’s work in biblical scholarship and the mystery genre demonstrates his dedication to interdisciplinary innovation and storytelling-based inquiry.

This volume aims to honor Badke’s diverse legacy by assembling essays that examine the history, current state, and future of information literacy and its connections with biblical studies and mystery fiction. We invite contributions from scholars, librarians, educators, writers, and practitioners whose work relates to these themes.

Appropriate chapters for this volume include (but are not limited to) the following topics:

First Priority: Badke’s Contributions to Information Literacy or Integration of Biblical Scholarship and/or Mystery with Information Literacy

  • Reflections on Badke’s influence on information literacy, including his impact on teaching, scholarship, and curriculum development
  • Analyses of Badke’s scholarship and development in information literacy, especially where it intersects with biblical studies or the mystery genre
  • Essays exploring how biblical scholarship and/or mystery/fiction can inform or enhance information literacy pedagogy, theory, or practice
  • The impact of Badke’s foundational texts and his advocacy for integrating information literacy across disciplines, including theology and literature

Second Priority: Information Literacy in Dialogue with Biblical Scholarship and/or Mystery

  • Information literacy pedagogy that draws on biblical studies or mystery fiction as models or case studies
  • For-credit courses or interdisciplinary modules that combine information literacy with biblical scholarship or the mystery genre
  • Faith-integration in information literacy education, including theological perspectives on research and knowledge
  • The role of narrative, genre, and mystery in teaching research and critical thinking skills
  • Case studies of innovative instruction integrating information literacy with religious studies or literary analysis

Third Priority: Broader Issues in Information Literacy

  • The impact of artificial intelligence and digital technologies on information literacy, biblical scholarship, or the mystery genre
  • Tailored approaches to address local challenges and opportunities concerning information literacy in diverse contexts
  • Collaborative strategies for integrating information literacy in academic and creative settings
  • Philosophical or theological roots of information literacy and their implications for practice
  • The future of information literacy in higher education, theological education, and creative writing
  • Any topic related to information literacy is welcome. We particularly encourage submissions that explore new, emerging, or unique perspectives on the integration of information literacy with biblical scholarship and/or the mystery genre, reflecting the broad and evolving nature of Badke’s contributions

Submission Instructions

Proposals are welcome from individuals or co-authors. Authors from diverse global backgrounds are especially encouraged. Proposals must include a 250-word abstract describing the topic, a working chapter title, and a current CV or resume for the author(s). Inquiries about this project and chapter proposals should be submitted electronically by Friday, November 14, 2025 to https://books.atla.com/atlapress/chapter-proposal.

Review of submissions will begin immediately, with the final selections to be determined by Friday, December 19, 2025.

Accepted authors must submit their completed chapter manuscripts by Tuesday, September 1, 2026. Chapters should be approximately 6,000–8,000 words and adhere to the Books@Atla Open Press Manuscript Preparation Guidelines. The expected publication date is August 2027. The final publication will be available open access under a CC-BY-NC license as PDF and EPUB, and also in print on demand.