Volume XVII Call for Submissions: Sacrifice

The executive and editorial boards of Tufts Historical Review are so excited to announce the call for submissions for Volume XVII: Sacrifice.

From the Editors-in-Chief, Carl Svahn and Anna O’Sullivan:

The Tufts Historical Review Editorial Board is delighted to announce the call for submissions for Volume XVII of the Tufts Historical Review, an academic journal that seeks both undergraduate and graduate research papers of the highest caliber.

This year, we have selected Sacrifice as the theme for the journal. Sacrifice has taken many roles and forms throughout history, from religious martyrdom to battlefield bloodshed. But the impact of a sacrifice on history extends far beyond even the most rudimentary examples. 

Sacrifice has been at the root of some of the most definitive moments for states and peoples. Sacrifice can operate on a large scale; the compromising (or refusal to do so) of certain values has shaped many impactful moments in history, like the Age of Revolution and the birth of the German Empire. Yet, at the same time, some of the most striking sacrifices have come from a single person. For example, the willingness to give up one’s own future to protect their family, as seen with Empress Pulcheria of the Byzantine Empire, or the commitment to values even in the face of seemingly impossible odds and inevitable retribution, as seen with figures like Nelson Mandela and Father Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla. 

The question of what one is willing to give up, or not, for their own desires and the needs of themselves or others has always shaped who that person, conflict, or movement truly is. All of history is touched by sacrifice.

The Tufts Historical Review is committed to publishing the finest undergraduate and graduate historical research. As such, we require that all submissions subscribe to the highest standards of academic quality. Failure to comply with the following requirements may result in the rejection of a submission.

  • All submissions must be cited in accordance with the Chicago Manual of Style, 17th Edition.
  • No submissions that have previously appeared in another publication will be considered eligible.
  • A cover page should be attached to each submission, including the title of the paper, the author’s name, email, and university affiliation. Please indicate your academic program in your submission email.
  • Applicant’s information should only appear on the cover page.
  • The subject of submissions should relate to events taking place before 1991
  • Submissions should range between 3,000 and 8,000 words. Longer submissions are acceptable but will be subject to editing for brevity if selected.
  • Submissions from undergraduate (B.A.) and graduate (M.A., Ph.D.) students are welcome.
  • Please note that submissions need not explicitly reference the word “Sacrifice” to be eligible for consideration. We encourage broad interpretations of the theme!

The Tufts Historical Review is one of the few undergraduate-led journals of its kind in the United States. A highly selective publication intended to recognize outstanding student work in history and the humanities, the Tufts Historical Review is distributed to the libraries of leading research institutions, including Harvard University, Brown University, Oxford University, the College of William and Mary, and Georgetown University. Alongside an active student board of undergraduate and graduate students, the Tufts Historical Review works closely with an advisory board, including renowned scholars, such as Tufts University President Sunil Kumar.

All submissions must be emailed as Word documents (.docx) or PDF files to tuftshistoricalreview@gmail.com by February 1, 2024, for review by the editorial board. We appreciate your assistance in promoting excellence in undergraduate and graduate historical scholarship, and we look forward to reading your submissions!