Submission Types

The journal currently features three sections:

• Articles: Profile peer-reviewed scholarship (see article submission guidelines below).
• Data Essays: Profile peer-reviewed data essays alongside curated datasets relevant to cultural study (see dataset submission guidelines below). Our aim here is to eventually provide a directory of datasets for cultural studies.
• Special Features: Offer shorter, more timely interventions about computational analysis of culture, written in an accessible style for non-specialist audiences. These short-form essays may be submitted in a group (a roundtable or cluster on a dedicated topic), may take the form of a “letter to the editor” or op-ed, or may be standalone essays, designed to open discussion on a new methodology, dataset, or article.

JCA hosts thematic clusters that can be searched by keyword as well as special issues (see special issue proposal guidelines under Submissions).

Articles

Overview
The Journal of Cultural Analytics publishes leading articles in the computational study of cultural artifacts. We expect articles to contain methodologically rigorous, data-driven or computationally sophisticated analysis of objects or expressions of culture. The arguments must be grounded in humanities domain expertise and expand knowledge in that domain. For articles at the intersection of humanities and AI, in particular, we are interested in work that positions humanities knowledge as key to improved AI development, and in AI (or ML) approaches that further humanistic knowledge.

Length
Submissions should not exceed 9,000 words including abstract, notes, and works cited.

Special Issues

Now accepting proposals for special issues to be published in 2027.

Overview
Special issues are intended for JCA authors who seek to shape new paths in the editorial direction of the journal. Each special issue (SI) is proposed by one or more SI editors and is typically composed of six to eight essays, including an introduction by the SI editor(s).
The board encourages proposals that represent a variety of viewpoints and that seek to broaden the journal’s exploration of timely, emerging issues, areas of study, works, and methodologies; to put interdisciplinary scholars in dialogue with one another; and to expand the scope of the fields represented in the journal.

Review Procedures
Every proposal (including those invited for submission) will receive careful review by the editor and members of the editorial board and will have one of three outcomes: accept, decline, or revise and resubmit. In all cases, the board will provide feedback on the proposal.

Submission Requirements
Proposals will be 2-3 pages and should include the following:

• A detailed description of the rationale for the special issue.
• Short biographies of the guest editors including a two-page CV for each. Links to homepages, Github, and Google Scholar profiles are welcome.
• A list of possible contributors’ names, affiliations, and preliminary paper titles, and abstracts of their proposed contributions (not to exceed 100 words). Or, a proposed Call for Proposals. In each case, successful proposals will articulate how contributions advance the overall goals of the proposed special issue and will make a compelling case for the coherence and timeliness of the collection as a whole.
• A proposed timeline from proposal to acceptance. We generally recommend a 6-8 month period between CFP and deadline for submission.

How to Submit
Proposals should be sent to tclement@utexas.edu for review by the editorial board at one of its meetings.

Data Essays

Overview
Data essays submitted to JCA for review must include a link to the data tables (in Excel or CSV format) as well as the data essay. Data essays were formerly called “dataset” essays. Datasets, we contend, are interpretive frameworks and cultural objects that merit humanistic interpretation and contextualization. As with articles, please position the dataset in the context of its domain and discuss its impact. Each data essay must address the following areas:

• Context: Contextualize the dataset within its domain.
• Significance: Address the dataset’s significance, why it was created, and how it has been used or could be used in the future.
• Collection: Describe how the data was collected, cleaned, and organized, addressing any potential ethical concerns or misuses of the data.
• Bibliography: Include a list of sources.

Versioning
In your cover letter, describe if the data will be updated (e.g. to correct errors, add new instances, delete instances), how often and by whom. We consider new versions of data essays only if there are significant changes to a dataset that alter or change its argument or significance.

Length
Submissions should not exceed 6,000 words including abstract, notes, and works cited. Licensing
If applicable, the data must be deposited under an open license that permits unrestricted access (e.g. CC0, CC-BY).

Special Features

Overview
JCA publishes shorter, more timely interventions about computational analysis of culture, written in an accessible style for non-specialist audiences. These short-form essays may be submitted in a group (a roundtable or cluster on a dedicated topic), may take the form of a “letter to the editor” or op-ed, or may be standalone essays, designed to open discussion on a new methodology, dataset, or article.

Length

Submissions range from 500-2,000 words.