The program extends its congratulations to JP Singh, professor of Cultural Studies and Global Affairs, and Zachary Marschall, PhD student in Cultural Studies, on the launch of the Arts and International Affairs Journal.
Christine Rosenfeld conducted a brief exchange with fellow graduate student Zachary Marschall to learn more about the journal and Zachary’s duties as managing editor.
What is the focus of Arts and International Affairs and how is the journal organized?
Arts and International Affairs is an open access, peer-reviewed journal published by the Policy Studies Organization (PSO). JP Singh, editor, had previously edited Review of Policy Research for PSO before launching AIA in 2015. AIA targets IR scholars and professionals who are passionate about the arts and how they provoke local, national and transnational engagement, but have had limited opportunity to write about those issues in their field. The new journal offers them a multimedia platform to examine the nexus between the arts, politics and markets in international affairs. For AIA, the arts encompass the performing, visual, entertainment and tourism industries, and digital and new media.
AIA is organized into three sections. “Longform” articles are peer-reviewed and scholarly in style and research. “Brushstrokes” articles are shorter, op-ed styled pieces that interrogate the political implications of art forms and cultural objects in international affairs. “Multimedia” submissions combine video, photography and audio in addition to written text. The last section in particular distinguishes AIA from other academic journals. AIA’s website, http://theartsjournal.net, in addition to displaying multimedia works, is also readable on smart phones and tablets. AIA’s design and digital accessibility are essential to the scope of works its contributors analyze in all three sections. Contributors articulate connections between works, creators and audience. Many of these creative works are expressed through video, audio and web-based displays and installations. Traditional print journals cannot display these media, which makes AIA’s digital platform impetrative for direct engagement between the reader and works of art.
How would you describe your role as managing editor?
I began working as managing editor AIA in April 2015. Initially, JP and I began to craft the journal’s mission statement, develop its structure and put together an international editorial board. Currently, my primary responsibilities include facilitating the in-house and peer review process from initial submission to final publication. I serve as a liaison between the contributors, reviewers, editorial staff and production team. I also work on prospecting and assist JP with outreach to the IR and arts industries communities. Additionally, JP and I collaborate extensively with AIA’s creative director about website design and promotional materials. Since the launch of the first issue, I have assumed management of AIA’s social media accounts including its Facebook page www.facebook.com/artsandinternationalaffairs.
March 31, 2016