leidenarabichumanitiesblog

Authors Instructions

Authors Instructions

• 2 min read

The Leiden Arabic Humanities and Islamic Thought Blog is a Leiden University-based platform for academics and scholars from Leiden and beyond. We welcome contributions on any of aspect of Islam and Muslim society. To be considered for publication, please consider the following:

  1. To summarise or introduce current debates in the field.
  2. To review recent and relevant publications.
  3. To share academic research surrounding Islam and society with a broader target audience.
  4. To inspire critical thinking and debate. The blog is intended as critical space where readers and authors have the chance to discuss any topics freely and in line with academic decorum.

Language

English

Length

Short submission: 600-1000 words

Long submissions: 2500-5000 words

References/annotations

Footnotes are highly discouraged unless necessary. Hyperlinks to articles, videos, websites, etc. are allowed.

Format

Background article, analysis, opinion piece

Title

Short and captivating

Trailer

Short intro to the blog, meant to catch the attention of the reader. What are they about to read? Max 300 characters, spacing included.

Images

Each blog is accompanied by an image (880x320 px). Please select an image to fit your text and send it over with a short description. It is possible to add further images to your text, as well.


Submission Process

  • If you are interested in writing a blog, please send an email to a.bdaiwi@hum.leidenuniv.nl to pitch your idea. We will give you some pointers to improve your chances of getting published.
  • If you’re feeling confident, you may also just send us a draft straight away.
  • After sending us your draft, the editors will discuss it and decide whether it is suited for the blog or not.
  • If so, we will send you our feedback with possible alterations and suggestions for improving the text.
  • The process repeats itself with subsequent versions, until we reach a final text everyone is satisfied with.


Please note:

  • Whether the blog requires just one or multiple rounds of editing, depends on the blog in question.
  • We publish a blog every two or so weeks, and blogs related to current events may have priority over more general blogs. Your blog may be queue for a while if there are other blogs already in line for publication.


Guidelines

  • An invitation to write a blog is not a guarantee that your blog will be published.
  • The editors reserve the right to make slight changes to the text without consulting the author.
  • The final title and trailer are determined at the discretion of the editors.
  • The final version is a cooperative effort between author and editor(s); both approve of the text to be published.


Writing Tips

  • Keep to the topic.
  • Make sure any claims you make rest on probative evidence and reliable sources.
  • Keep your writing academic and concise.
  • Use paragraphs to structure your piece.
  • Do not go off on tangents.
  • Avoid jargon and archaic language.
  • Keep the audience in mind – your readers are diverse in age, occupation, and background.
  • Keep track of the comments on your blog and reply to them.