Political Science journal looking for student submissions

Members of the political science department at Memorial are gearing up to begin the publication process of the second edition of their political journal. With the deadline right around the corner, submissions still remain low.

Maggie Peyton, co-editor of this year’s journal, Mapping Politics, says that thus far submissions for the journal are low but hopes that students from all of Memorial’s campuses will have their politically inspired papers in before their deadline of April 1.

Peyton says there was a similar trend last year. “Most of the submissions started pouring in just weeks before the cut-off date,” she said.

Paper topics published last year included the need for the Canadian welfare system, European Union coverage in Canadian newspapers, and the economic policies of Joey Smallwood.

Peyton says that Mapping Politics is a journal that provides students with an opportunity to have their work published, and that submissions could be an essay already completed for a class or one done on students’ free time.

“Eligible essays can be between 500 to 8000 words,” she said. “And they don’t necessarily have to come from a political science student, or the department for that matter.

“It looks really good for Memorial to have a journal. I really think it is important. like I said, to showcase what and who we have at the university,” said Peyton. “We do have exceptional writers.”

Peyton says that all essays can be submitted electronically. From there, papers are passed anonymously to a review board to determine whether or not they will make the cut for this year’s journal.

According to Shawn Kavanagh, the other editor for Mapping Politics, the reason for anonymity through the review board is the potential for the members to know the applicants, and deliver a biased decision.

Kavanagh says the process is open to any and all students who decide to write something politically themed, and encourages everyone from first-years to graduates to become involved.

“Last year there was even a first-year student who got published, I mean it was a first-year course and a first-year student…but the paper was amazing,” said Kavanagh.

Peyton says that this publication is shaping up to be even better than the first. She hopes it will eventually garner enough funding so as to advertise to rest of Canada, attracting politically-inspired minds from across the country.

To submit a politically-inspired paper for this year’s journal, or to view past entries visit www.mappingpolitics.ca

with files from Chelsea Howard

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