Confluence
Where Ideas Come to Meet
Confluence was established in 2013 as a peer and faculty reviewed journal open to all students at Simon Fraser University's School of International Studies. Challenging the traditional boundaries of an academic journal, we strive to utilize the potential of digital technologies and recognize the importance of dialogue to foster inclusive and dynamic views on international issues.
Rooted in the philosophy that ideas are meant to be shared, we recognize that having a "meeting place" for our thoughts is not only a key aspect of our career as students, but is highly significant for progressive developments in cultures and societies around the world. Confluence desires to bring out the potential hidden in every one of us, and encourages us to question and discuss global problems, as well as personal issues, to better understand our place in an ever interconnected world.
Submission Guidelines and Information
Confluence is a platform for international studies students to voice their opinions and ideas. We encourage debate, originality, and diversity. The academic and online journal welcome submissions in all fields that fall under the diverse umbrella of International Studies (IS), which includes assignments written for non IS-classes. Confluence aims to broaden debate within International Studies; we invite submissions in diverse formats with unique points of view.
Submissions to Confluence are expected to uphold an academic standard of writing. All submissions should abide by SFU’s Code of Academic Honesty, which can be found at http://www.sfu.ca/policies/gazette/teaching.html. Confluence does not accept submissions with racist, sexist, or offensive language.
For questions related to Confluence’s academic journal, please contact academic.confluence@gmail.com. For any inquiries on Confluence’s online edition, please contact online.confluence@gmail.com. We look forward to hearing from you!
Submission Formats
Accepted submissions for the online component, include:
- Academic essays
- Travelogues
- Book reviews
- Open eds
- Policy papers
- Briefing papers
- Lecture summaries
- Personal experiences working or volunteering abroad or with an internationally-minded organization
- Photography and photo journals
- Columns (please see below for further information on writing columns for the online journal)
Accepted submissions for the printed, academic journal include:
- Academic essays
- Briefing notes
- Policy papers
- Photography
Columns
We invite international studies students to develop a regular column that will be published on the Confluence website. If interested in authoring a column, please contact online.confluence@gmail.com with your proposed topic. Our editors look forward to further discussing your column ideas.
Requirements for Submissions to the Online and Academic Journal
Written Submissions
Written articles should be a maximum of 4500 words not including Works Cited, and submitted in .doc format. Any citation format is permitted (Harvard, Chicago, APA, etc.), as long is it remains consistent. No DOI (Digital Object Identifier) is necessary in the Works Cited. Unfortunately we will not be accepting previously published work, although class assignments are acceptable. Please review and edit your work before submitting; the acceptance process will emphasize selection based on the quality of grammar and writing style alongside content and originality.
Images
Images submitted for the print journal should be sent as .jpeg or .tiff or .eps at 300dpi or above. For images submitted for the online version, please ensure the photo is minimum 800×600 pixels, and we suggest pictures be submitted in the highest resolution possible. Clearly name your files (e.g. name_1, name_2, name_3), provide the city and country closest to where the picture was taken, and you may provide a short description of the photo and its significance if you choose. Please fully acknowledge and provide proof of permission if you are including figures from other sources. Please specify whether you want your photo to be considered for either the online or print versions of the journal, or both.
FAQ
What is Confluence?
Confluence is the journal produced by the International Studies Student Association (ISSA), the departmental student union of the School for International Studies at Simon Fraser University. It is composed of an academic journal and an online journal, publishing an array of content that represents the depth and scope of international studies.
What is the purpose of the journal?
The journal represents students from the three IS streams of Security Studies, Cultural Studies, and Economic and Environmental Development. It also publishes the works of graduate students from the International Development and the Governance and Conflict stream. It is a platform for debate, dialogue and exploration of discourse in this field. As a student-run publication featuring student works, Confluence hopes to provide IS undergraduates as well as IS graduate students with experience in the journal publishing process and the chance to become a published scholar.
Who can submit to Confluence?
Contributors to the journal may be declared SFU undergraduate International Studies Major or Minor students, or undeclared students who have completed IS 101 or equivalent. The journal also accepts submissions from students who are enrolled in the Masters Program at the School for International Studies. Students are encouraged to contribute regardless of their year of study.
Can students from other departments submit?
Unfortunately, due to the volume of submissions only IS students may submit to Confluence. Many other departments have journals that they publish… ask your student union!
What is the difference between being published in print and being published online?
The print version of Confluence is an academic, peer-reviewed journal and as such only academic works such as essays, briefing notes and policy papers, as well as photos are accepted into this portion of the journal. This is also accessible online as a pdf. The online part of Confluence includes formal and informal works relevant to the field of International Studies and has a much broader range of accepted content.
What is the deadline for submissions?
There is a rolling call for written submissions. This means that you may submit your work at any time, but there will be a deadline in September – to be announced closer to the date – for the Fall 2016 edition. There is no formal deadline for photos, although those considered for print will be cut-off on the same date as written works.
Are class assignments accepted?
Class assignments are perfect! Including from courses that are not designated International Studies courses.
Does Confluence accept works that have been previously published?
Only original content that has not been previously published will be accepted.
How are the submissions assessed for acceptance?
During the selection process, each written work is anonymously assigned a number. Several members of the Editorial Board read each piece, then discuss its quality based on the strength of the argumentation and the thesis, readability, creativity, writing style, language use and grammar. The Board attempts to select a group of written submissions that represent the diversity of topics within International Studies.
How will written work be edited?
Submissions for the online component will only be edited by the ISSA’s Editorial Board who will look at content and quality. If you are submitting a piece of writing for the academic, print journal, your work will be reviewed by both the Editorial Board and a team of IS professors. As a peer-reviewed journal, quality and attention to detail is key; accepted submissions will be edited again with a focus on content and writing quality but with a more formal and academic tone.
Does Confluence take ownership of my work if I am published in the journal?
Nope! If you work is accepted, you retain full copyright to your written piece or image.