Chicago's history is one of intersecting ways of being, trade routes, migratory patters and capital flows. How is Chicago built and transformed at intersections? What happens at the crossing of streets, trajectories, political interests?  How do we each occupy intersecting positions and histories? How do social movements address the intersections of local, regional and global forces? How do far away places and economies intersect within local situations? How do various scales and temporalities intersect in what we call here and now?

"Intersections" refers to places or moments in which separate realities cut across each other. More than just overlapping or coming together, "intersecting" suggests both joining and disrupting. We are inviting a broad approach to the theme. For example, contributions could focus on specific street intersections. What histories, boundaries, people and practices come together at 16th and Lawndale; 47th and King Drive; Western and Devon; 71st and South Shore Drive; 18th, Blue Island and Loomis; or Jackson and LaSalle? Contributions could also take up an intersection of issues: poverty and pollution (the economic justice movement); black liberation and sexual freedom; neighborhood bars at the intersection of community organizing and addiction;   “family values” and the threat of deportation in immigrant communities; education and surveillance; public space and private money; the Occupy movement and existing forms of occupation; the local and the global; love and revolution.  

Generally, contributions should focus on practices in and around Chicago. How are people joining together to explore, re-imagine and create change?

AREA is primarily committed to local practices and knowledges, and includes articles, interviews, and photos about the current activities of organizations and collective projects. We also welcome other formats: creative writing, analysis, graphic text+image contributions, glossaries or timelines, visual or media-based. We work with our contributors and assist them in finding formats and possibilities for sharing their work, in the print publication, through our website and in our event series. Previous publication experience is not necessary.

Please send us a brief (100 word) description of how your work is related to the theme or a topic you would like to develop as an article. Final AREA articles usually average around 1,200 - 1,400 words.
intersections@areachicago.org
First round of proposals is due January 30. We will contact you within three weeks to discuss your ideas.