Portal 9 welcomes proposals for new writing in Arabic and English. We publish fiction, essays, reportage, criticism, reviews, conversations, academic articles, and visual essays – from photography to illustrations to architectural drawings. Portal 9 explores the nexus of urbanism and culture in the Middle East and the rest of the world, and we seek contributions from emerging writers, graduate students, and seasoned authors. We seek bold arguments and daring insights. We aspire to publish articles that break new ground and prose that intrigues and spellbinds. We expect nuance and trenchant detail.

Interested writers should bear in mind that Portal 9 is published twice yearly. We value the editorial and translation process, and articles often undergo rewrites and rigorous edits of multiple drafts. All articles published in the print edition are translated into Arabic or English, and this process requires that we plan many months in advance. Contributors to the print edition are compensated for their work.

Proposals should address the theme and need to demonstrate a thorough understanding and knowledge of the available research for the topic at hand. They should amount to at least 500 words. Proposals should clearly describe the piece, its relevance, and why the piece is suitable for Portal 9. They should also outline the characters and settings that will advance the argument of the piece. Only one proposal will be considered at a time.

Please send proposals to proposals@portal9journal.org. Please also submit up to two writing samples and a CV. If interested in the proposal, the editors will respond within a month of receipt.