Exploring the undergraduate literary magazine: impacts, intersections, and implications

ABSTRACT The characteristics and aims of undergraduate literary magazines have received little scholarly attention in recent years. They often function independently, leading to missed opportunities for literary magazine clubs and practicums to operate equitably, effectively, and sustainably in a rapidly changing publishing world. To help bridge this urgent gap in research, the author conducted a survey of 33 undergraduate literary magazines in the Midwest, accompanied by two anonymous interviews of faculty supervisors. In the pages that follow, the author first delves into the survey and interview data to explore the literary magazine itself; the roles of faculty advisors; and the recruitment, diversity, and roles of student editors. The results reveal two issues that reoccur in many of the survey and interview responses: a pressing concern over adaptability amidst academia’s shift to digital spaces and a desire to facilitate student engagement with social justice movements. Thus, this essay not only reports needed general data surrounding literary magazines but also forecasts how the undergraduate literary magazine is positioned in relation to each of these social issues. Ultimately, the author articulates a way forward for these magazines and their advisors to successfully adapt to this unique historical moment.