This fall, Jadaliyya turns eight. We are excited by what we have already achieved, but more enthusiastic and confident in our future. Our commitment, and that to our readers, will continue to propel us forward.
The region today calls for more than reporting and analysis, no matter how sophisticated. There is a dire need for inspiration and renewal amid the steady stream of challenges and agony, caused by forces and actors near and far, not least in Syria and, increasingly, Yemen. We hope to not disappoint as we renew our commitment and initial promise to our readers, except now on a far broader scale, with the support and contribution from our affiliate organizations at the Arab Studies Institute (ASI).
It has become increasingly difficult to announce and feature the various developments associated with Jadaliyya and its affiliates at ASI. These become numerous as a result of the accumulation of effort, talent, knowledge, and infrastructure. The content of what we are producing has become so pressing as to make its dissemination more productive than featuring it. We are nonetheless proud to continue to produce on various platforms, not least in the realm of pedagogy. For a glimpse of what’s on the horizon, join us this week at the Middle East Studies Association at Book Exhibit Booths 38 and 39, and at our ASI Reception on Saturday, 17 November, at 8:30 pm. Details can be found here.
To celebrate our eighth year, we are finally launching our new subscription-based JADMAG, or, Jadaliyya in print! JADMAG was always part of Jadaliyya’s raison d’etre, but it was derailed and then postponed by the events of 2011 and beyond. So we opted for thematic issues, like those on Arabian Peninsula studies, Western Sahara, and the Gezi protests, which we will continue to produce. Starting this fall, JADMAG will be published as a subscription-based magazine in both hard-copy and electronically. The cultivation of a steady readership will enable the JADMAG team to produce a wide-ranging and an even more intellectually stimulating publication.
These magazines will be released twice a year, in addition to a third annual issue that will be specifically geared toward pedagogy on issues pertaining to the Middle East and North Africa. A fourth issue will be included in all subscriptions, and it can be any of our already published theme issues on JadMag.org. Starting in 2019, each JADMAG will feature diverse content and offer unique articles or interviews that will not be found on Jadaliyya at the time of publication. Coupling timely content with the addition of essential readings lists, reviews of new books and scholarly articles, and topical pieces from Jadaliyya’s celebrated archives allows the JADMAG project more ambitiously to function as a knowledge producer, a near-comprehensive source of analysis on the region, and a pedagogical resource par excellence.
As Jadaliyya continues to mature, we grow even more interested in its autonomy and independence, as well as its logistical self-sufficiency, despite the essentially large team of volunteers. We are hoping that our readers will consider supporting the publication that has become a necessary resource, when all else fails, and a refuge, when much of the knowledge production around us seems abridged, thin, and/or devoid of principled politics. For eight years now, we avoided making such a move to monetize any aspect of Jadaliyya, and we will continue to do so, only starting today, you have the option to support this effort if you so wish. Subscribe today at www.TadweenPublishing.com or www.JadMag.org.
Should you care to partake in our eighth anniversary, feel free to download the Jad @ 8 icon here for your social media accounts.
We thank you, our readers, for your loyalty. Most of all, we thank you for reading.
Jadaliyya Editors