Submission Guidelines

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Submissions Guidelines for articles and reflections:

The editors of Communal Societies invite submissions in all areas of the study of communal and intentional groups, both US-based and international, historical and contemporary. Due to the explicitly interdisciplinary nature of communal studies, the editors encourage submissions that take a variety of disciplinary perspectives. Editors will consider submissions in two broad categories, “article” and “reflection.”

Article submissions must be grounded in original research and established methodologies. They should defend a clear thesis, and inform and interest both specialists and general readers alike. Manuscripts should range in length from 6,000 to 10,000 words (or approximately 20-35 double-spaced pages), including all notes and references. Manuscripts deviating substantially from this size range likely will not be considered.

Reflection submissions may include essays, field notes, commentaries, and discussion responses. Such submissions should be substantially shorter than article submissions and should range from 2,000 to 5,000 words. Reflection pieces may vary widely, and they may be based upon personal and professional encounters with a wide range of communitarian settings and topics. Reflection pieces should appeal to the specialist and general reader alike.

Review process: After initial review by the editors, article submissions will be sent out for anonymous peer review to at least two reviewers. After receiving reports from both reviewers, the editors will make a determination to accept the article, accept it provisionally with revisions, invite resubmission after more extensive revisions, or reject. Authors will usually receive copies of the anonymous reviewers’ remarks. Reflection submissions generally will be reviewed by the editors only, who reserve the right to accept, accept provisional to specified revisions, or reject.

Format: All submissions should be in Word format, double-spaced with numbered pages, and 11- or 12-point font. Communal Societies format generally conforms to the Chicago Manual of Style, with footnotes to contain all citation and reference information. Editors reserve the right to reject any submission that does not conform to these basic format guidelines.

Illustrations: Editors are pleased to consider a limited number of illustrations, maps, and tables to accompany articles and reflection pieces alike. Once submissions are accepted for publication, authors must provide the editors with copies of letters of permission from copyright holders or from the individual or institutional owners of uncopyrighted illustrations. It is the author's responsibility to submit image files (usually .jpg or .tif) of sufficient resolution for publication. Image files should have a minimum resolution of 300 dpi.

Submission Guidelines for book reviews and book notes:

Books selected for review in Communal Societies address important features within the field of Communal Studies. Reviews should evaluate the book’s contributions and limitations and assess its significance to the field. Please find below our general guidelines and additional formatting pointers. The editors greatly appreciate your willingness to contribute the mission of Communal Societies.

• Book reviews should be between 1,000 and 1,200 words in length.
• Communal Societies follows Chicago Manual of Style.
• Please include the bibliographical information of the book at the outset of the review and follow the format below:
  
  Title of Book in Bold Italics
  AUTHOR IN BOLD-CAPS
  City [use only the first city listed], St.: Publisher, year. 212 pp.
  ISBN 000-0-000-00000-0 ($29.95 cloth; $17.95 paper).
• Do not use footnotes. When referencing another book within the review, include parenthetical publication information.
  
  For example: She follows Lawrence Foster’s analysis in Religion and Sexuality (Urbana: University of Illinois Press, 1981).
• Please use parenthetical references to page numbers; do not use footnotes.
  
  For example: The Book Review Guidelines stipulate that reviews “not use footnotes” (1). In parenthetical, do not use “p.” or “pp.” for page(s); when used in the text, spell out “page” and “pages.”
• Please include your full name set in all caps, followed by your university affiliation (consistent with institutional preference) set in italics at the conclusion of the review, indented one tab. Please include Emeritus or Emeriti if appropriate.
  
  For example:
  STEPHEN J. STEIN
  Indiana University, Emeritus
• If after receiving the book, the reviewer determines the book’s significance warrants a shorter review, please contact the Book Review Editor about submitting a book note. Book notes should be about 500 words in length.

Submissions Guidelines for Check This Out!

Media selected for inclusion in Check this Out! address areas of interest within the field of Communal Studies. Entries should briefly summarize the content and assess its significance and interest to the field. The media chosen for this section of the journal are those that are less academic and less directly research related, for example documentaries, podcasts, or utopian/dystopian fiction.

Please find below our general guidelines and additional formatting pointers. The editors greatly appreciate your willingness to contribute the mission of Communal Societies.

• Check this Out! entries should be between 300 and 500 words in length.
• Communal Societies follows Chicago Manual of Style.
• Please include the bibliographical information of the item at the outset of the review and follow the format below:
  
  Title of Item in Bold Italics
  AUTHOR IN BOLD-CAPS
  Identifying information eg for books: City [use only the first city listed], St.: Publisher, year. 212 pp.
  ISBN 000-0-000-00000-0 ($29.95 cloth; $17.95 paper).
• Do not use footnotes. When referencing another book within the review, include parenthetical publication information.
  
  For example: She follows Lawrence Foster’s analysis in Religion and Sexuality (Urbana: University of Illinois Press, 1981).
• Please use parenthetical references to page numbers; do not use footnotes.
  For example: The Book Review Guidelines stipulate that reviews “not use
  footnotes” (1). In parenthetical, do not use “p.” or “pp.” for page(s); when
  used in the text, spell out “page” and “pages.”
• Please include your full name set in all caps, followed by your university affiliation (consistent with institutional preference) set in italics at the conclusion of the review, indented one tab. Please include Emeritus or Emeriti if appropriate.
  
  For example:
  STEPHEN J. STEIN
  Indiana University, Emeritus