The Commons

From politics to poetry, protests to pedagogy, pulpits to pews, The Commons is an online-only magazine where artists, activists, and academics explore the place of religion in public life. Decidedly interdisciplinary and interreligious, The Commons features work from scholars, poets, community organizers, photographers, religious clergy, and others who write for an engaged public, tell a good story, analyze a current topic, lift up local community work, and offer guidance for the perplexed.

Operating as a companion to the peer-reviewed journal CrossCurrents, and our summer colloquia, The Commons extends the mission of APRIL to a broader public, making links and responding to relevant topics. We will regularly repost articles that originally appeared in CrossCurrents as well as publish brand new material that weaves in and out of topics published in special issues in the journal.

Please scroll down for our submission guidelines.

Words

Image, Sound, Touch

Encounters, The Commons Archive

What we publish

The Commons publishes creative nonfiction, fresh perspectives on cultural events, critical interventions into socio-political issues, attention to interreligious connections, and work that educates about religious life and practices. The Commons will also regularly publish interviews with leading community leaders, activists, artists, writers, scholars, and others working at the intersections of religion and public life. Please note: We do not publish op-ed pieces.

Each month, The Commons will highlight one or two artists that speaks to some of the themes that keep with our aims and mission. These can be photo essays, poetry, or audio-visual documentations of artists and their work.

 

How to publish with us

We welcome submissions of complete pieces, but prefer that you pitch us an idea. Before submitting a piece or pitching an idea, please become familiar with the tone and content of the Commons. In your pitch, include a detailed description of the topic, a brief bio of the author(s), and links to relevant published work. If you are submitting a complete piece, include the word count, and send the piece as an attachment (Word or as Google Doc).

If the topic of your pitch or complete submission is time-sensitive, or if you are pitching/submitting to several outlets at the same time, please note this in an introductory email. We typically publish pieces between 1,000 and 3,000 words. We do not use footnotes, but hyperlinks are encouraged. If your pitch/submission is successful, one of our editors will work with you to edit the piece, promote it on social media, and discuss payment.

The Commons seeks to elevate writers from a wide range of backgrounds, including those who are BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, people with disabilities, and writers from the global South and other underrepresented communities.

If interested in contributing, please contact S Brent Rodríguez-Plate, [email protected].

 

All work at The Commons is published under Creative Commons license CC BY-NC-ND 4.0

Editorial Team