Imprints: the final issue

by Chris Bertram on March 10, 2010

I now have in front of me the final issue (vol. 10 no. 3) of Imprints, currently subtitled “egalitarian theory and practice” but originally “a journal of analytical socialism”. Conceived in Dunkin Donuts Piccadilly Circus branch in 1995, and launched in London during Euro 96 (we crowded round a small radio after the launch conference to hear the England-Spain penalty shoot-out), Imprints has been an important part of my life for nearly 15 years. We’ve interviewed many of the important intellectual figures of the left: Cohens Joshua and G.A., Philippe Van Parijs, John Roemer, Ruth Lister, Carole Pateman, Martha Nussbaum, Nancy Fraser … there’s a long list, and published some good and interesting work. But circulation was always small, and the effort involved in a small group self-publishing was large. A couple of years ago we believed we had a deal with a publisher to take the grind off our hands, but it all fell through at the last minute and it has been hard to rally the troops ever since. Many thanks to all our readers and contributors: it has been fun to work with you. Subscribers should get their final copies within the next month.

{ 8 comments }

1

Matt 03.10.10 at 4:21 pm

I’m sorry to see it go- though I wasn’t a subscriber I enjoyed many of the articles and the interviews and thought it consistently had a high-quality line-up of authors. It’s especially sad to see it go as there’s not really a journal that fits the space.

2

Jeff 03.10.10 at 4:49 pm

I had not heard of this journal and would love to see more of it made available on the web. The interview with Geras online is very interesting.

3

Ingrid Robeyns 03.10.10 at 6:18 pm

Oh Chris, this is very unfortunate news. I have been a subscriber in the last few years (but well before I joined CT – no direct relationship there), and I’ve read many interesting articles in Imprints. I do hope some egalitarian thinkers, who have enough time and energy, will join forces and at some point in the near future launch a reincarnated Imprints.

Thanks to the editors for all their work!

4

Thom Brooks 03.10.10 at 7:27 pm

This is a sad day.

5

Fr. 03.11.10 at 10:17 pm

Sad indeed. How about having it online only, wouldn’t that dramatically reduce the costs?

6

John Quiggin 03.11.10 at 11:19 pm

I’m also sorry to see this happen, and had the same question as Fr. I know there is still a lot of editorial work, regardless of the output format, but these days there are a lot more people proficient with web publishing than with typesetting.

7

dsquared 03.12.10 at 12:40 am

I wouldn’t necessarily say “sad” – presumably all the people involved are still around and still doing things, and they’ve made a decision that the other things they’re doing are more valuable than this – surely it’s an entirely salutory indication of the high standards that Imprints always set that the authors decided to call it a day rather than put together a compromise. It’s inconvenient for people who used to subscribe and that’s sad for them, but beyond that it’s not a bad thing when a successful project is finished, it’s a good thing.

8

Chris Bertram 03.12.10 at 7:11 am

The deal we thought we had with a publisher would have moved Imprints entirely on-line, with them managing the editorial process (submission review software, all that stuff). It was the collapse of that deal that killed it as far as the willingness of the existing editors to continue putting in the work.

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