Greetings! The editorial team of the Journal of Basic Writing invites you to
celebrate the journal’s 50th anniversary with us!
Call for Papers
Journal of Basic Writing, 50th Anniversary Issue: The Future of Basic Writing
In the first volume of the Journal of Basic Writing in 1975, Isabella Halsted
wrote, “At all times, we should provide our students with an experience where
no matter what the material, they are encouraged to discover their individual
points of view and are given the chance to see that these are worthy of
attention, that others are listening, and that there are effective ways to
communicate them in writing. And by focussing on this, we will help our
students to understand, and even enjoy, the process of writing” (80-81). Half
a century later, as JBW celebrates its 50th anniversary, teachers of college
writing are still driven by the desire to engage with students, their writing
processes and their literacies, even if the writing tools, our own
understanding of “effective communication,” and the students themselves have
changed significantly.
Who are basic writers now? Who are basic writing teachers now? What is the
state and status of “basic writing” as a field in an era of co-requisite
instruction, guided pathways to degrees, credit for prior learning, and
changing metrics for student success? And do we want to continue to use the
term “basic writing” to contain an increasingly diverse set of people and
practices? In this moment of transition, how do we – new or more seasoned
teachers of writing, program directors and other stakeholders – want to shape
a vision for the future of basic writing? We invite authors to reflect on the
state and/or status of basic writing at their own institutions, university
systems, states or regions and to place local observations in the context of
current political, technological, environmental, or socioeconomic realities.
Please send 300-word proposals to jbwcuny by December 15th, 2024.
Full manuscripts of under 5,000 words will be needed by July 31st, 2025. This
special issue will be structured as a symposium-style conversation; authors
selected for the issue will be encouraged to read and respond to the other
contributors’ manuscripts. The expected publication date for JBW’s 50th
anniversary issue is Spring/Summer 2026.