Prose Studies-History Theory Criticism

This journal has ceased (2025). Launched in 1977, Prose Studies is a peer-reviewed literary studies journal devoted to the study of nonfiction prose in all historical and contemporary contexts. The journal is committed to publishing rigorously argued scholarship from diverse theoretical and interpretive approaches. We are, likewise, dedicated to a broad and inclusive definition of the genre in all its varied forms. Trenchant and persuasive arguments for aesthetic innovation and social revolution alike can be found in essays, prefaces, reviews, speeches, sermons, and pamphlets. The manifestos of artistic movements are quite as aesthetically innovative and complex as their poetry and art. Life writing in all its incarnations—from autobiographies and memoirs, to letters, journals, and blogs—speaks to the global as much as to the local. Moreover, the tweets of today’s activists and public intellectuals are equally as deserving of scholarly attention as the canonical essays of previous generations. Prose Studies invites essays that employ a variety of approaches, such as those adopting interdisciplinary analyses and those combining substantial analysis of nonfiction prose with discussion of other genres. We also invite scholarship on marginalized and lesser-known authors and work that explores nonfiction prose in transnational contexts. While we welcome essays on works not written in English, all article submissions should be in English and should include translations of any non-English texts. Peer Review Policy: Essays submitted for potential publication undergo editorial screening and double anonymized review, in most cases by two reviewers. Book reviews are normally commissioned and reviewed by the Book Reviews Editor, in consultation with the Editors in Chief and, on occasion, members of the Editorial Board. Queries may be directed to the Editors in Chief, Anna Maria Jones and Lisa Hager. Those interested in reviewing books, or having their books reviewed, may contact the Book Reviews Editor, Carmen Faye Mathes. Sorry, there are currently no metrics available for this journal.