What are we looking for?
The Markaz Review aka TMR seeks essays, feature articles and reviews of books, film, music, theatre and art, as well as profiles/interviews of artists, filmmakers, musicians and writers (1,000–3,000 words). We’re interested in covering a worldwide array of visual, literary and performing arts events, as well as current affairs. We also publish opinion columns (750–1,500 words). Our style is serious without being academic. Our writers care and are even passionate on the subjects they cover.
Critical and comparative thinking in TMR writing is key. It is essential for all Markaz Review stories that the writer have a strong point of view, a clear voice, a sense of authority about the subject, with a commanding lead paragraph and a strong conclusion. Merely relating biographical details and sharing quotes doesn’t do the trick. Readers want to know from the get-go, why should they be interested in this subject or this person? what’s so special about it/them? The writer has to get at the essence of the subject, and not be satisfied with appearances — just quoting someone, for example, is being satisfied with the surface details, with appearances, but what lies beneath, what is the psychology and/or philosophy of the subject, the experience and its meaning or significance? We want to think more about essences than appearances. We also encourage writers not to only get information from the subject (the “horse’s mouth” as it were) but other sources, including critical assessment. This goes without saying.
Reviewing
Book publicists, authors and publishers should address a press release and an electronic ARC of your book to our Book Editor, who handles assignments: Rana Asfour, rana-at-themarkaz.org. To potentially have your film, art exhibition or other event reviewed, drop us a line at info-at-themarkaz.org and your query will be forwarded to the appropriate editor.
Reviewers: While we are very open to comparative review essays (typically 1,000–3,000 words), we discourage writers from pitching reviews in which they would be writing about books or films by friends. A little objectivity goes a long way, and we prefer critical writing that holds work to high standards.
What do we care about?
TMR is an international platform for creative inquiry, criticism, performance and dialogue that explores the arts, humanities and current affairs. Recognizing that we live in a world fragmented by racism, gender discrimination, settler-colonialism, class and caste systems, xenophobia and orientalism, we raise our voices for social justice and human rights.
When does TMR publish?
Written or audiovisual contributions appear either in TMR Weekly, publishing every Monday, or in our monthly online magazine, a themed issue every 15th of the month. Submissions range from 750 to 3,000 words, but please query with a one- or two-paragraph pitch, to editor-at-themarkaz.org.
FILES
All work must be turned in as either a Word file or a Google doc using the Word formatting. Track changes (not email exchanges) remain the gold standard with respect to editing, corrections and final drafts. No exceptions.
Please do not send stories or corrections in the body of your email. After publication, minor corrections are acceptable via email.
If you are sending images, upload all of them to one Google drive folder and share the link to that folder with TMR. Upload a Word doc with captions for your images into that same folder. Please do not send multiple images with multiple emails.
TMR WEEKLY
All op-eds, columns or reviews must be turned in not less than one week prior to the agreed-upon publication date. We publish every Monday, thus your work must be turned in no later than the previous Monday.
TMR MONTHLY
Queries will be accepted up to the 20th of the month preceding the month of publication (always the 15th of each month).
The final polished draft of approved stories will be accepted up to the 5th of the month of publication, unless translation is required, in which case you must add an additional week to 10 days ahead of the deadline on the 5th of the month. Any stories turned in after the 5th of the month of publication will be considered late and may not make it into publication. To avoid confusion, please turn in your work early or on time.
Editing, layout, design and publication prep for each monthly issue must be completed no later than the 10th of the month. This allows TMR time to prepare PR and marketing of the issue, prepping social media posts and other outreach.
Call for Submissions: TMR 26 • GAMES • Nov 2022
Sports and games can teach universal values such as fairness, teambuilding, equality, discipline, inclusion, perseverance & respect, contributing to the development of skills needed for responsible citizenship. The MENA region can lay claim to being the birthplace of the board game concept.
But what type of citizenry should we expect when games are being constantly monetized and politicized, or else flagrant with misrepresentation and demonization? When fan control turns to population control? When violent games are being played on smart phones or consoles in air-conditioned video game cafés? Art, photography, film, music, fiction, essays & reviews on MENA folk games like Barjees, tawla, and Dama to the more universally known ones, from this year’s controversial World Cup, to camel racing, video games and everything else in between.
Query by 5 November, copy deadline 10 November, 2022 to editor@themarkaz.org.
Call for Submissions, TMR 27 • FREEDOM
Our Dec/Jan issue is devoted to individual and collective freedom. Often, governments hijack social movements and hamper individual freedom. Poets and writers, citizens and journalists, even educators and filmmakers are sometimes censored, beaten, arrested, imprisoned, and even murdered. We’re also aware that we censor ourselves. Either we’re unable to face the truth or we’re afraid to offend because we have something to lose. But we all lose when our freedom is limited, when truth and justice are threatened.
Query by 30 November, copy deadline 5 December, 2022 to editor@themarkaz.org.
Future Issue Themes
—IRAQ Feb — just prior to the 20th anniversary of the March 2003 invasion
—DOHA April
What’s been our track record?
Over the years, Levantine Cultural Center/Markaz flagship programs have engaged communities to overcome animosity and racism to learn about one another. They include Arabs, Blacks and Jews: The Art of Resistance (2005–2010); Freedom Theatre West (2011–2014); Gaza Surf Relief (2007–2015); New Voices in Middle Eastern Cinema (2010–2015); and the Sultans of Satire (2005–2017). Meanwhile our Inside-Outside Gallery (2009–2016) presented many group and solo art exhibits featuring fine artists from across the Middle East/North Africa and the American diaspora.
Contributor Honoraria
The Markaz Review (TMR) is a non-profit publication. TMR offers contributors a modest honorarium.
What else would you like to know?
The Markaz Review presents online art galleries as well as live performances, short films, discussion groups and presentations/Q & As with world experts. We soon hope to produce a regular podcast and online arts and language courses. The primary language of TMR is English. All articles also appear in French and Spanish versions. We frequently translate from Arabic and other languages.