The Anthropocene has emerged as a conceptual framework for grappling with the profound transformations caused by human activity and (in its best iterations) examines a question that Fisher asks in Capitalist Realism “Is there no alternative?” (2009) to the way things have been done. However, the Anthropocene also remains a contested category, raising urgent questions about historical responsibility, teleological reasoning, justice, and the ways in which anthropological inquiry can engage with both the material and conceptual dimensions of a reality that can be fragmented, alienating and hopeless.
This 5th issue of Anthways seeks to explore the Anthropocene as both an empirical reality and a politically and morally charged concept. We welcome contributions that interrogate epistemological and ontological foundations, as well as those that draw on ethnographic and interdisciplinary approaches. Beyond the Anthropocene, alternative formulations such as the Capitalocene (Moore 2017), the Plantationocene (Haraway & Tsing 2019), and the Chthulucene (Haraway 2016) have sought to reframe the discourse, highlighting capitalism, colonialism, and multispecies entanglements.
Who – or what – is Anthropos in the Anthropocene?
How can the irony between fragmented individualism in an epoch named for humanity hold?
How do global inequalities shape its uneven manifestations and lived experiences? How can we respond if politics is not the answer?
Potential themes include, but are not limited to:
- Speculative futures and imaginations of different paths forward
- Feminist and queer approaches to the Anthropocene – or alternative frameworks
- Materialities & climate justice (food, fashion, waste)
- Multispecies ethnography and more-than-human approaches
- Indigenous and decolonial perspectives on temporalities of crisis
Guidelines for Submission
Contributions may take the form of research articles, ethnographic essays, photo essays, or experimental writing that engages with the thematic scope of the issue. Pieces may follow two different formats – traditional articles (2000 – 5000), and shorts (500 – 1500):
Shorts:
This format is reserved for informal musings and reflections of what the framework of the Anthropocene offers and includes submissions between 500 – 1500 words.
Articles:
This format will host longer contributions, between 2000 – 5000 words, that extend engagement with the topic to some empirical research, discussion of theories or productive engagements with it that go beyond reflection.
We invite multi-modal submissions and ask that you adhere to our wider submission guidelines which are available here.
Submissions for the October 2024 issue should be emailed to us by the deadline of 16th May 2025 at goldanthropgpeers@gmail.com
All submissions will be reviewed by the editorial team and we will be in touch with you to confirm contributions. Peer reviews will take place by late July.
We invite submissions from undergraduate students, postgraduate researchers and early-career scholars in anthropology and related disciplines – If you are from a different institution, please do consider sharing with us as we are happy to include your work in this and future issues.
Please contact the editorial team with any questions or inquiries at: goldanthropgpeers@gmail.com
