Public Humanities is a new international open access, cross-disciplinary, peer-reviewed journal at the intersection of humanities scholarship and public life. The journal invites submissions for its inaugural issue, called The Manifesto Issue, which is being edited by the journal’s co-founders, Zoe Hope Bulaitis and Jeffrey R. Wilson. 

The issue will be a rendezvous for thinkers and doers to address the status and stakes of public humanities today—however that term is understood. Authors will connect, share knowledge, and set an agenda for the future of an emerging field. 

Possible questions authors can respond to include but are not limited to: 

• What is public humanities?
• What are the social needs for public humanities?
• What is the evidence for the social value and impact of the humanities?
• Who are the individuals and agencies doing or working for public humanities? 
• What critiques of public humanities are needed?
• What is the history of public humanities?
• What social histories are needed to understand the public humanities?
• What are the theoretical foundations of public humanities?
• What governmental policies are relevant to public humanities work?
• What are the politics of public humanities?
• How do we research and/or teach the public humanities? 
• How do public humanities compare across different regions?
• How do public humanities work differently across the disciplines?
• How can academic institutions support public humanities?
• What public policies are needed to support the humanities?
• What does the future hold for public humanities?

Article types available
Submission formats and lengths are flexible—as short as 1,000 words, no more than 3,000 words. Possible formats include but are not limited to:

• Position Papers & Rejoinders - manifestos in response to one of the above questions
• Essays - essays synthesizing prior research for a broad readership across the humanities
• Brief Reports - empirical reports providing new quantitative data on the humanities in public life
• Reflections - e.g., interviews with practitioners, public figures, or leaders of public humanities initiatives
• Roundtable - international or cross-disciplinary roundtables showing multiple perspectives on a topic.

Submission guidelines
Submissions should be written in accessible language for a wide readership across and beyond the humanities. Articles will be peer reviewed for both content and style. Articles will appear digitally and open access in the journal.

See the journal's Publishing Ethics guidelines for more information.

To be considered for the issue, please submit a 300-word abstract and 100-word author bio to [email protected] by 1 April 2024. (Full) paper submissions will be due by 1 June 2024.

All paper submissions will then be made through the Public Humanities online peer review system. Author should consult the journal’s Author Instructions prior to submission.

Contacts
Questions can be sent to the Editors-in-Chief of Public Humanities, Zoe Hope Bulaitis and Jeffrey R. Wilson, at [email protected].