We’re back! After a hiatus that allowed us to put together an anthology of essays for AK Press showcasing the first thirty years of our work (due out July, ’26!), Perspectives on Anarchist Theory is once again open for submissions!
What we’re looking for:
We publish essays, interviews, communiqués, how-tos, fiction, poetry, and visual art that explore the imagination, ideas, and practices that will help us to create a free and equitable society. We’re particularly interested in reading about lessons you’ve learned through your organizing work or direct actions. Tell us about your campaigns and strategies, your tools and reflections—what worked and what didn’t? What should we try next? Send us the art that lifts you up or holds you when you’re down.
We publish both online and in print.
Online, we publish a wide range of topics, essays, and art—pitch us on what you’d like to share.
To be considered for our upcoming print issue, Perspectives #34, your work needs to address the theme of CONTROL. Here are some prompts to get you started, though please know that this list is a springboard; we are always open to wide-reaching and diverse interpretations of the theme.
- Who has or exerts control? Who doesn’t? In what contexts?
- How does control relate to questions of borders, immigration, or policing?
- What forms of control shape your organizations, processes, protocols, etiquette, habits, or thoughts?
- How do you exercise self-control, and why? What works and what doesn’t?
- In what ways does control show up in relationships, identities, roles, emotional development, or social groups?
- When is control useful or beneficial? When is it coercive or violent?
Please note: we only publish book reviews that cover at least three recent texts and connect those texts to broader political conversations.
How to submit:
Not sure whether what you’ve written is what we have in mind? Please send us a query using this form, and we’ll let you know. Please note that we are no longer accepting submissions of full articles without a query first. You’ll be asked to include a word count and a short summary, as well as a biographical statement and a proposed timeline.
These forms will be reviewed in the order received, with all pitches receiving consideration from the collective within eight weeks. We will publish essays on a rolling basis online; all work that adheres to the CONTROL theme will be considered for the annual print issue.
We are currently accepting pitches for submissions through January 15, 2026. All accepted queries have until March 15 to submit a first draft. We will pause queries between January 15 and June 15 in order to go into production on the print issue.
If you have a concept for an article but are unsure how to develop and refine the ideas or language, we are happy to help you with the writing process, particularly if you have never written for publication before.
Note that we prioritize accessibility and experiential insight over jargon-heavy or academic work, though we do value intellectual rigor and principled research and references, when applicable. We adhere to the Chicago Manual of Style. As with any publication, please familiarize yourself with our work by clicking here before submitting.
Compensation for Contributors:
We are happy to announce that we have recently approved the process and funds to begin paying authors and artists for contributions to Perspectives. We are offering a flat payment of $50 for all work that is completed and accepted for publication, including essays, interviews, creative work, and visual art.
Contact Info:
If you have any questions about the submission process or about Perspectives more generally, please feel free to reach out to perspectivesonanarchisttheory@gmail.com.
We look forward to hearing from you!
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Art by kai lumumba barrow, from her exhibit, Debt., a visual homage to Alice Coltrane’s 1972 album, Lord of Lords. The work explores the ways in which Black women’s labor, time, and sustainability depends upon the creation of new spaces—both imaginative and material—within the mundanity of anti-Black violence. Go here to learn more about kai’s incredible work!