Aims & Scope
Aim and Overview of Taboo
Taboo: The Journal of Culture and Education is an academic forum for the transdisciplinary study of the dynamic and complex relationship between the various competing and complementary aspects of education broadly defined. Taboo is grounded on the notion of “radical contextualization.” To investigate the notion of “radical contextualization,” we encourages scholars to draw from a variety of theoretical and methodological perspectives to contest current taken-for-granted approaches in education and in the academy. Some of these approaches include, Post-Structuralism, Feminist Studies, Actor-Network Theory, Queer Theory, New Materialism, Historical/Genealogical, Affect Theory, and Critical approaches to race, class, and gender studies. Beyond simply articulating critical perspectives we seek contributions willing to stake the unsaid and the previous and current unconsiderable and/or irreconcilable. We encourage work that seeks to wrap its lips around the complex, chaotic, and cutting edges of the sayable and knowable. We want to push readers and contributors to perform complex questioning of the very ideas that have become all too common-place within traditional academic journals. We specifically foster discussions across and through different disciplines including explorations into how intertextualities and intersectionalities operate throughout and within different educational times/spaces/places. The journal encourages papers from a wide range of contributors who work within these general areas. We also encourage research that pushes the methodological boundaries. Taboo seeks a dialogic and dialogic series of interactions that push place, space, and time boundaries as well as invites a “leaning in and pushing back” approach. Not only do we seek content that engages these values but we also favor unique, controversial, and continually complicated forms and modes of presentations. As its title suggests, Taboo seeks provocative and controversial submissions.Scope of Manuscripts Accepted by Taboo
Articles: Taboo accepts what might be called “traditional academic” articles. We also encourage scholars to write and produce research that exposes the limits of this form as well as compose research in modes that would not be considered in “mainstream” academic journals. Authors are also encouraged to submit traditional academic research articles, but are not required to. We expect thoughtful, provocative, and well-researched articles, but we also encourage authors to play with form and content. There is no word limit. Articles will go through a double-blind peer-review process. Authors can expect to receive a decision in 3-4 months.Rants: Taboo accepts opinion pieces on any topic. Rants are designed to be thoughtful and passionate pieces that utilize research in a provocative manner. Rants will go through a double-blind peer-review process. Although there are no word limits to Rants, we would expect that they would not exceed 1000 words. Authors can expect to receive a decision in 1-2 months.
Book Reviews: Taboo encourages authors to write critical book reviews and submit them to the book review editor. We would like authors to be creative in their book reviews. This creativity can occur in several different ways. Authors could review award winning books from their national organization; authors could review 2-3 current books in a given field or on a specific topic; authors could review books that are critical of one another. There are a variety of ways to conduct a critical book review. We want authors of book reviews to be provocative with opinions supported by relevant evidence. All book reviews go through a double-blind peer-review process.
Guest Edited Special Issues:Taboo accepts proposals for special issues beyond the two annual issues. To propose a special issue please send a detailed 500-1000 word description of the issue, a draft of the call for manuscripts, a tentative timeline, and the curriculum vitae of the guest editor(s). Editors are required to ensure that all articles in the special issue go through a blind-peer review process. Editors will be asked to submit final manuscripts with peer reviews to the editors on the negotiated deadline. The entire special issues or specific manuscripts of the special issue may also go through an additional peer-review and/or editorial review process with Taboo prior to publication. Authors can expect to receive a decision in one month.