The Raven will publish original philosophy written in accessible and stimulating prose for intellectually curious readers with or without formal training in the discipline. Articles may deal with public affairs, but they need not; they will in any case be “public” by virtue of inviting a general audience into the practice of philosophy.
     To this end, authors will have to avoid relying on a reader’s knowledge of, or interest in, the academic literature. They will have to arouse the reader’s curiosity in your topic, explain its implications, use a reader-friendly vocabulary, state assumptions that go without saying among initiates — and with those materials, do something philosophically novel. In addition to traditional philosophical topics, we welcome discussion of the arts, popular culture, and disciplines outside philosophy as well as the use of personal narrative, so long as the work is idea-driven and philosophically rich.
     If you wish to propose an article, please fill out this form, including a "pitch" of up to 250 words in the last field. Your pitch should be specific enough to display the originality of the project, its potential to engage the intended audience, and your ability to execute it in non-technical terms. We recommend writing in the voice of the proposed piece rather than in the style of a scholarly abstract. The Editorial Committee may then ask for a complete or partial draft on the basis of which to decide whether to initiate the editorial process, in which the editors will help you to organize your ideas and clarify their expression while retaining your distinctive voice. The expectation will be that every contribution entering the process will be published, with the joint approval of author and editors.
     Please indicate the type of article you are proposing, using these rubrics:
     We plan to publish work under the following rubrics:
     FEATURE: longform essays (3,000 to 10,000 words) in which the writer makes an original philosophical contribution in a style that is engaging to read and intelligible without the need for specialist expertise.
     SHORT ESSAY: essays of 800 to 2,000 words that offer a philosophical insight or argument that does not require longer exposition to convey.
     REVIEW: longer essays of 2,500 to 5,000 words addressing a work of philosophy that is forthcoming, recently published, or of lasting significance. We are open to reviews of classics, such as Plato's Republic or Descartes' Meditations. Reviews should follow the New York Review of Books model of using the work reviewed as a springboard for the writer to develop his or her own philosophical insights.
     RECOMMENDED READING: essay of 800 to 2,000 words recommending a piece of writing that is philosophically rich but not necessarily well known. Potential examples include philosophy articles that are old, or have fallen out of favor, as well as novels, short stories, poems, or nonfictions. The essay should explain the philosophical insights to be gleaned from the recommended reading.