Readers of The Majalla enjoy being surprised with new information and in-depth analysis, and appreciate rigorous research and attention to details others might miss. Indeed, many of our readers are reading our magazine from the very places we are writing about, so representing their stories and their experiences with integrity is of critical importance to us.
However, we would like to avoid excessively technical analysis, insider terms only specialists would use, and overly specific topics. We prefer contextually-driven writing.
The ideal Majalla article explains ideas behind the news, sparks debate, and engages thinking on new topics. We look forward to hearing your ideas, so send us a pitch that keeps a few things in mind:
Read the magazine and the Web site. It’s the best way to see what we publish and what we might be missing—we’re very open to fresh ideas.
Avoid the obvious. We receive much more than we publish, and the articles that don’t make it to our site and magazine generally tell us what we already know. For example, please don’t send any article that argues that the Arab Spring has changed the Middle East!
Fill in the gaps. The Majalla tries to connect the issues facing this complex region with causes both within the region and beyond. Help our readers understand how a fluctuation in the cost of oil per barrel in Saudi Arabia is changing the price of milk in Lebanon, or show our readers in France how an issue in Jordan affects them.
Please stay away from technical language. Readers of The Majalla are very smart, but we want them to feel like they are having a conversation with a well-informed friend, not their dreaded Intro to World History lecturer.
Back up what you say. Tell us what you thin,k but do let our readers know how you came to discover what you know by referencing your research and your anecdotes with names and dates.
How to Contact Us
Contact one of our editors to see if you have an idea we could develop together. We can be reached at [email protected].
Features
Our features are an in-depth analysis of a topic that may already have received lot of coverage but could benefit from a new perspective. The complete article should be approximately 3,000 words long. Your best bet is to send us a one-page outline with a list of proposed assertions—not the full text.
Economics
The complete article should be approximately 1000-1200 words long. Please send us a one-page outline with a list of proposed assertions—not the full text.
Politics
The complete article should be approximately 1000-1200 words long. Please send us a one-page outline with a list of proposed assertions—not the full text.
Reviews
The Majalla reviews books and major reports published anywhere in the world in English, Arabic, or Farsi. Our goal is to expose readers to important ideas and debates and do not have to be about international affairs. We welcome reviews that focus on contentious domestic issues, culture, economics, and sociology. Book reviews are typically 1000-1200 words in length, and assess the quality of the book and place it in the context of current events. In short, tell us why this book is so important or controversial.
Interviews/Profiles
If you have an opportunity to have a conversation with someone who is involved in the stories that matter to our readers, let us know. We’d love to publish your conversation with them in a question and answer format (with permission of both parties, of course). The length of these submission is flexible.