Academics are often caricatured as out-of-touch elitists. This stereotype does as much a disservice to the public as it does to professors themselves, even when their views are needed in times of urgent public debate. Meanwhile, readers who are curious about life and ideas within the academe have few resources that let them learn more. Journalists facing the intense pressure of deadlines rarely have time to dive into academic publications or understand scholarly analysis. Even within their world, academics have few venues to have a conversation across fields and sub-specialties — unless, perhaps, they are at a gathering where a diverse group of participants can exchange ideas. In other words, unless they are at a symposium.
Hence, Symposium Magazine – an innovative digital publication that provides a central address for academics to talk with the broader public, and with each other across disciplines.
Symposium challenges the assumption that digital journalism has to be shallow for the sake of speed and immediacy. The anchor of the publication is a monthly edition of essays that serves as a platform for academics seeking to engage the public, while offering a destination for readers who are hungry for this kind of content. In addition, our blog gives authors the chance to converse with readers on a daily basis. All that both sides needed was a place to look. Symposium Magazine will become their first resort.
We welcome you to read our inaugural issue and hope you will become part of our Symposium.