Meraki – pronounced /mera-key/ (/meɹəki/) – is a modern Greek word denoting the soul and passion which you put into your work. Meraki Magazine is a space for the philosophical thinking that takes place in people's everyday lives and is embodied in types of thinking that are often not considered philosophy "proper" by the western academy. We publish all forms of creative expression, from philosophical reflections, arguments and experiences, to art, photography and film. Although we accept any kind of philosophical work, we want to foreground types of knowledge and philosophical thinking that happen outside of the academy, which often occur within non-western and other marginalised philosophical traditions. Our guiding belief is that these forms of thought need to be recognised within academies and wider society. In accepting all forms of creative expression as submissions for publication, we actively persue the notion that philosophical thought occurs in a multiplicity of forms and that philosophy and thought are not bound by the norms of the current, dominant, western academic model.
We are looking for any kind of writing that thinks. This can be a series of reflections on a philosophical or political problem, on your own personal struggles, or on a work of art. It can be a philosophical argument delivered in an accessible tone and style. Or it can be any other mode of writing which you believe best grasps your philosophical thinking within your everyday life. We’re especially on the lookout for writing that engages with philosophical experiences and traditions that are often excluded from, and marginalised by, the western academy. We are also interested in running opinion pieces, reviews or interviews and will also accept photography (usually to accompany a submission), film, artwork or illustration and audio submissions. First and foremost, we want to provide a space for our authors to write about what inspires them and provokes them to write their meraki. So as you browse the descriptions of potential submissions below, remember: write what you are thinking.
Articles – We are looking for your philosophical opinions, arguments, and understandings rendered into accessible and easily digestible accounts. This can include a variety of styles, topics, and tones, including more analytic takes on philosophy, as long as your arguments are presented in an approachable and accessible manner. Feel free to submit reworked academic essays that you have submitted for assessment. However, we will not accept essays that have not been edited to have a more relaxed structure, style, and tone than is usually demanded of academic work; in other words, please do not submit unrevised academic essays submitted for university assignments. We suggest that pieces be edited to focus attention on what excites you most about the prompt or your response. If you would like more guidance on how to do this, please email us at philosophy.meraki@gmail.com
Reflections & Creative Non-Fiction – This can be any kind of non-fiction prose that explores philosophical, social, or cultural topics. Including reflections on current events, opinion articles, autobiographical memoirs, anecdotal reflections, travel narratives, and more personal takes on issues within philosophy and society. We encourage both short and long pieces in this genre; short pieces around 1000 words in length are often much more effective than longer pieces (although we still accept them!).
Fiction – Short stories, prose poetry, imaginative situations, historical fiction, dialogues, and so on. This is a very open category. If you have specific ideas about what kind of formatting you think a piece like this might need we will try our best to incorporate it.
Poetry – We are open to poetry submissions of almost any kind, provided that they have some kind of coherent and broad relation to philosophy. We are very excited for this category!
Reviews – If you have read an amazing - or extremely bad - book of philosophy (or sociology, psychoanalysis, critical/literary theory, etc.) please consider writing about it and why you think other people should or should not seek a similar experience. This category could also include podcasts, articles, lectures, etc. If you review a book, try to follow a generic citation format, i.e. include page ranges after sentences that summarise or comment on specific parts of the text. Preferred length for book or podcast reviews would be below 500 words, but this is not a rule. Check out our Reviews & Prompts page for ideas about what to write or which books to read!
Interviews – If you have recently met or know of an inspirational philosophical figure or someone involved with philosophy or a similar field, please consider writing an interview or profile piece on them. This can be framed in whichever way interests you, we want to hear what you have to say. Please be respectful and considerate of people’s privacy and ensure you always ask permission before you share information about their lives.
Photography & Film – Are you an amature photographer? Or a professional looking for endorsement and promotion? We want your images, photography, collage, and visual designs! Perhaps films or documentaries are more up your alley? We welcome any kind of visual or audio submissions. These can be published alongside other relevant text-focused submissions, with their own written submission, or as a standalone submission with a short blurb (that’s a minimum of 300 words).
Artwork, Illustration & Design – Visual artistic submissions include but are not limited to collage, illustration, graphic design, sketches, cartoons, comic strips, paintings, multimedia, or digital media. We want to publish your art! As with photography & film submissions, your artwork can be published alongside other relevant text-focused submissions, with their own written submission, or as a standalone submission with a short blurb (that’s a minimum of 300 words).
Music & Audio – Audio submissions could include, but are not limited to, recordings of an original musical performance, interview snippets, or your latest spoken word poem recited aloud. If you are not sure whether something is suitable, there’s a good chance it is, so send us an email!
The maximum word limit for submissions is 3000 words. If you have any concerns please contact us. Submissions with footnotes must use Chicago referencing with long-form footnotes and bibliography. We do not accept previously published work, excluding re-formulated academic essays submitted as assessments. Please note that all submissions will be published with accompanying images, however, this can be discussed further during the editing process. If you have an idea that you’re unsure about, feel free to pitch it to us via email beforehand.
We are currently accepting submissions for Issue Two. Please send your submissions and pitches in an editable file to:
philosophy.meraki@gmail.com
Other than submitting content, we are looking for people who are interested in joining our production process. We have roles avaliable for editors, graphic designers, economic advisors & treasurers, and website developers. Check out our Behind the Scenes page for more details.
If you are interested in any of these roles, please get in touch. If you have any questions or would like further clarification, please feel free to email us at:
philosophy.meraki@gmail.com
Meraki Magazine is working hard to be able to pay our contributors, but for now, we operate on a voluntary basis.