Thank you for your interest in the Queering Public Policy a new zine from Harris School of Public Policy!


Zine (noun) \ ˈzēn  \ : a small circulation publication of original or appropriated texts and images. More broadly, the term encompasses any self-published, unique work of minority interest that does not exist to make a profit but, rather, to amplify often unheard voices through means available to almost everyone.

Harris School of Public Policy is committed to fostering an environment that encourages rigorous inquiry. We understand that effective public policy problem-solving requires the involvement and understanding of diverse viewpoints, experiences, and traditions.

In keeping with that core value is recognizing that diversity and inclusion are essential to combating discrimination, addressing disparities, and cultivating ethical and clear-eyed policy leadership.

Queering Public Policy exists to amplify those voices by featuring written and artistic submissions from students, alumni, faculty, and staff that reflect their lived experiences at the intersection of public policy scholarship and practice, and LGBTQIA+ identity.

Consistent with the University of Chicago’s commitment to free expression, we believe that open discourse is vital to our mission as a policy school. Harris encourages its leadership, faculty, student body, and administrative staff to respectfully engage with others of differing backgrounds or perspectives.


Submission Guidelines for Writers

  • Work submitted to Queering Public Policy must be previously unpublished in print or online.
  • We accept poetry, prose, and short play submissions electronically via email.
  • Submissions should reflect experience of author or artist as it relates to the intersection of public policy and LGBTQIA+ identity.
  • Prose pieces should be typed, double-spaced, and page-numbered. Send no more than one 1500-word short story or essay per submission. Stories/essays of 500 words or fewer may be sent in groups of up to three.
  • Send up to five poems per submission.
  • We will read simultaneous submissions but ask that you inform us of such and notify us immediately if your work is accepted elsewhere.
  • All written pieces must be submitted as a .docx file in Arial font size 12.
  • All submissions must be emailed to queeringpublicpolicy@uchicago.edu by 11:59 PM on April 28, 2023.
  • Authors are asked to provide a brief bio, but may indicate if they wish to remain anonymous.

Submission Guidelines for Visual Artists

  • Works may include paintings, photographs (including high-quality photos of 3-D or mixed-media work), prints, digital illustrations, graphic short stories, etc.
  • For cover art we seek a single, striking color image, with the possibility of printing a second, related image on the back cover. Cover images should be vertical/portrait in orientation (or able to be cropped).
  • Graphic stories may run as long as they need to tell the story.
  • If your work is a part of a series of images, please limit your submission to 12 images or less. Not all images may be selected for publication.
  • If submitting a multi-page artistic work, such as a graphic short story, please submit only one story at a time.
  • All images must be high resolution PNG or JPG files.
  • All submissions must be emailed to queeringpublicpolicy@uchicago.edu by 11:59 PM on April 28, 2023.
  • Artists are asked to provide a brief bio, but may indicate if they wish to remain anonymous.

Payment

In appreciation of shared perspectives and to acknowledge selected contributions, writers and artists whose work is selected for publication will receive compensation in the form of up to 3 physical copies of the zine and a $50 gift card redeemable at Build Coffee or Target.


Publication Timeline

  • Submissions selected for publication will be notified in April 2023.
  • Print copies will be available in May 2023.
  • The zine will be made available digitally in June 2023.