The Tufts Historical Review is now accepting submissions for Vol. XV: Defiance!! The window for submissions closes on February 1st 2022, so make sure to email your paper to tuftshistoricalreview@gmail.com soon. Before sending an email, please review our criteria for papers, which can be found on the ‘Submissions’ tab on our website. For inspiration on how to interpret the theme, read the “Call For Submissions” attached below.
From the Office of the Editor:
The editorial board of the Tufts Historical Review has selected Defiance as the theme for this year’s journal. As people have sought to challenge the status quo or resist change, defiance has taken many forms throughout history. While every story of defiance is unique, what unites them all is a courageous stand against the powers that be.
The study of movements such as the fight for women’s suffrage, the Non-Cooperation Campaign, and the Ghost Dance center our understanding of history around stories outside of the dominant power structures. Just as movements have challenged authorities, the actions of individuals have instigated broader societal change like how the refusal of Rosa Parks to give up her seat became a rallying point against segregation. On the other hand, resistance to the forces of change can also shape history. Defiance can be seen in the Catholic Church’s rejection of the Protestant Reformation that compelled the Church to create internal reforms.
Every great transformation in history is marked by defiance. Where there are power disparities, people have sought to disrupt them, and whenever there are new developments, there are those who seek to oppose them. The confluence of these competing forces propel the direction of history.