Professors have been advised to “publish or perish” for nearly 100 years. First coined in 1927, this phrase warns professors that in order to maintain their jobs, they must publish their work. Publishing has always been central to academia, as it is the primary vehicle through which scholars share their research with a larger audience. As scholars are encouraged to publish earlier and with more frequency, with at least one peer-reviewed article often a necessary prerequisite to securing a tenure track job, great effort has been made to advise and mentor academics on crafting an article for publication. However, the increase in the number of scholars who are seeking publication requires additional venues in which these articles can appear, resulting in the creation of new journals. Although there is often a focus on nurturing new scholarship in the form of articles, decidedly less attention has been paid to fostering the launch of new journals where this research can be published.
This session will therefore explore the many administrative and structural steps that must be undertaken in order to launch and edit a successful interdisciplinary journal: determining its scope and subject matter; advertising its creation; deciding its submission and editorial processes; and its continued evolution. Our panel will discuss three discrete journals, all of which are published by the Northeast Modern Language Association (NeMLA) but devoted to different areas of enquiry. Two of these are currently in existence but have been recently restructured (Modern Language Studies and NeMLA Italian Studies), while one of these (Film and Media Study) is scheduled to debut in fall 2019. Using these journals as case studies, this session will advise individuals and institutions on the practical steps needed to launch a journal and the effect that such development and editorial efforts have on one’s career and, in so doing, yield new insights into the publication process.
Our first speaker, Laurence Roth, has been the editor of Modern Language Studies since 2002, when he re-launched a completely redesigned version of the publication. In his presentation “From Passion to Tenure: The Challenges and Rewards of Launching New Journals,” Dr. Roth will contrast his direction of MLS with his previous creation of a journal during his graduate study. Dr. Roth’s presentation will focus on how an individual’s career stage can affect the development of a journal, as he discusses his experiences launching a journal out of passion and launching one in the interests of tenure. He will also reflect on the challenges that such editing and publishing raise with respect to university recognition. In his presentation, Dr. Roth will not only seek to examine whether editing should be classified as a form of scholarship or service, but will also consider the potential value and prestige that a new journal can bring to a department or institution. Most importantly, he will explore the extent to which innovation and experimentation should be undertaken and rewarded when creating a new scholarly journal.
Our second speaker, Simona Wright, has been the editor of NeMLA Italian Studies since 2006. In her presentation, “Developing a Journal for the 21st Century: NeMLA Italian Studies,” Dr. Wright will discuss the publication’s unique co-sponsorship by NeMLA and The College of New Jersey’s Department of World Languages and Cultures, as well as its status as a refereed journal published by the Italian section of NeMLA. Dr. Wright will also provide an overview of the changes that she has made to NeMLA Italian Studies since becoming editor, including her decision to change its submission process from curated conference proceedings to a full-fledged refereed journal. Dr. Wright will consider the effect that these alterations have had not only on the scholarship of this journal but also how the publication’s revised scope has augmented its impact on the field of Italian Studies. Finally, Dr. Wright will highlight the diverse character of NeMLA Italian Studies, which often publishes special issues devoted to various aspects of Italian literature, media, and theory, and offer an inside look into the process by which these topics are determined.
Our third speaker, Carine Mardorossian, is the Executive Director of NeMLA. Dr. Mardorossian will highlight the organization’s current work launching its newest journal Film and Media Study, devoted to culture and media studies. In her presentation “From English to Media Study: Launching a New Journal,” Dr. Mardorossian will provide detailed, step-by-step instructions on all aspects of creating a journal, from inception to submission to publication. Dr. Mardorossian will pay special attention to how the journal’s disciplinary scope has been shaped by the scholarly trends that NeMLA has observed annually at its conventions. Her presentation will also explore the many decisions that were made throughout the entire process of launching this journal, from budgetary considerations to the submissions process to recruitment of the editorial board to advertisement of this new journal. Dr. Mardorossian will also highlight how the journal will draw and build upon the readership of existing NeMLA publications while it will simultaneously avoid becoming potential competition for them.
Our final speaker, Claire Sommers, is the Promotions, Exhibits, and Professional Development Coordinator of NeMLA. In her presentation “Inside the Issues: De-Mystifying Academic Journals and the Publication Process,” Dr. Sommers will discuss the impact that the launch and direction of these journals has had on the professionalization and publishing mentorship opportunities offered to NeMLA’s members. Dr. Sommers will explore how illuminating the process by which journals are created and administered yields valuable insights into the publication process as a whole. Dr. Sommers’ presentation will also consider how conference organizations and the academic publications they sponsor can enter into a symbiotic relationship with one another, with conference panels inspiring special issues and the journal’s scholarship leading to convention attendance. Finally, Dr. Sommers will reflect on how these initiatives can be undertaken on a smaller level, such as within a single academic institution or department.