The Berkley Forum publishes short, accessible essays on critical topics at the intersection of religion and world affairs. Below, invited contributors can find more information on submission guidelines for the Berkley Forum.
We are not accepting unsolicited submissions at this time, but interested authors are invited to submit their research interests for future consideration.
Word Limit
Articles should be approximately 1,000 to 1,200 words in length. Submissions above 1,600 words in length will not be considered for publication, and the author will be asked to cut down their text in advance of editorial review.
Style
We look for essays written for an informed but non-specialist audience in order to increase the public understanding of religion. Accordingly, the use of academic jargon is discouraged. Authors are also encouraged to write in shorter paragraphs, of approximately 150 words in length, in order to best engage their audience.
For examples, please see:
- Black Religions in the American Public Square by Judith Weisenfeld
- Catholicism as Civil Religion by David Gibson
- Publicly French, Privately Muslim: The Aim of Modern Laïcité by Rim-Sarah Alouane
References
Authors are encouraged to hyperlink to online sources (journal articles, news stories, videos, etc.) where relevant. When referencing a book, authors are welcome to hyperlink to a publisher page, WorldCat, or Google Books. The use of footnoting is discouraged.
Embedded Photos
Authors have the option of including one or two embedded photos to improve the visual appeal of the published piece. Images must either be owned by the author, with permission for the Berkley Center to use, or licensed under Creative Commons (CC). Wikimedia Commons is a great resource to find CC-licensed photos. Flickr also has a wide variety of photos—any images under the “All Creative Commons” filter can be used with attribution on the Berkley Forum.
Submission Process
Invited contributors are asked to submit:
- Essay with a short but engaging title, as a Microsoft Word document or via Google Docs;
- 50-word biography, naming current affiliation, major publications, and research interests;
- High-quality headshot;
- Personal Twitter handle, if relevant.
Editorial Process
All pieces are edited for style and clarity in advance of publication. If substantive changes are needed, the author will receive a revised version with changes tracked for their approval.
Copyright and Republication
Authors retain the original copyright.
We also welcome the republication of pieces, as long as attribution to the Berkley Forum as original publisher with a link is provided. For examples, please see:
- Faith, Trauma, and Transnational Connections in India’s Farmer Protests by Shruti Devgan
- Rethinking International Freedom of Religion or Belief Policies by Nazila Ghanea
- Why the Biden Administration Should Stay out of the Global “Muslim Engagement” Business by Peter Mandaville
Occasionally, the Berkley Forum will also republish pieces originally released by another outlet. For examples, please see:
- Indian Farmer Protests Are Animated by Sikh Faith, Punjabi History of Fighting Injustice by Simran Jeet Singh
- International Religious Freedom’s Christian “Soft Spot”: Causes, Consequences, and Solutions by Gregorio Bettiza
- White Christian Nationalism: The Deep Story Behind the Capitol Insurrection by Philip Gorski
Please direct any questions, comments, or concerns to berkleyforum@georgetown.edu.