Submissions

Representations welcomes submissions of previously unpublished manuscripts. Send digital files, including a short abstract to reps@berkeley.edu.

We regularly publish in-depth scholarly articles of around 9,000 to 12,000 words, including notes. On occasion, we also publish shorter topical Field Notes, which comment on the state of the disciplines, and Untimely Reviews, which reengage with important critical works of the past. For both of these shorter features, the optimum word length is about 3,000 words.

Our review process usually takes between eight and sixteen weeks when the board is in session. Responses to papers submitted during the summer and year-end academic breaks may be somewhat delayed by the absence of editorial board members; the board is in recess from late May until late August and from early December until late January every year.

Representations solicits and receives submissions from several hundred scholars, known and unknown to editorial board members, every year–all of which are reviewed by the same process and held to the same rigorous standard for publication. (The acceptance rate for submissions to the journal averages about 6.5 percent of total submissions annually.) Please note that the journal does not routinely offer readers’ reports unless the submission is considered by the full editorial board.

Manuscript Length
Manuscripts should not exceed 40 pages in length, at no more than 300 words per page, including notes.

Manuscript Style
Double-space throughout, including text, extracts, quotations, and endnotes. In general, follow style guidelines established in the 17th edition of the The Chicago Manual of Style.

Procedures
Accepted manuscripts will be returned to authors for a review of copyediting. Proofreading is the author’s responsibility. Authors are also responsible for obtaining permissions to quote extracts and reproduce illustrations.

Illustrations
Legible low-resolution image files are acceptable for first review. Final acceptance of illustrated submissions is conditional upon receipt of high-resolution files. A separate list of captions, including all necessary credits and permission lines, should be submitted with the accepted manuscript, along with documentation of evidence of permissions granted.

Mailing, Correspondence, Inquiries
Diana Wise, Associate Editor
Representations
322 Wheeler Hall, MC 1030
University of California
Berkeley, CA 94720
reps@berkeley.edu