13/06/2026
Call for Papers: Open Theme- Melbourne Historical Journal Volume 49
Published since 1961, Melbourne Historical Journal (MHJ, ISSN: 0076-6232) is a refereed journal for the publication of Australian, Aotearoa/New Zealand and Pacific graduate work in history. The global conjunctures and profound epistemic shifts of recent years have challenged researchers to transcend conventional paradigms and interrogate the deep structures of human experience. In response to this fluid intellectual landscape, the MHJ decides to depart from a singular, prescriptive theme for Volume 49. Instead, we inaugurate an open, non-thematic forum – a deliberate space for intellectual serendipity, theoretical pluralism, and unbound critical inquiry.
By dissolving traditional thematic boundaries, the MHJ aims to create an open platform that welcomes a diverse range of historical methodologies, geographical focuses, and temporal periods, encouraging meaningful dialogue across different fields of study. We welcome submissions that interrogate the unspoken configurations of the past, challenge conventional historical narratives, or introduce fresh conceptual frameworks – all without the constraint of fitting into a specific theme.
The MHJ invites papers for its next issue on open themes. We encourage rigorous academic papers across all historical eras and fields. Possible areas of engagement include, but are not limited to:
● The politics of the archive: silencing, reclamation, and counter-narratives
● Critical reflections on archival methodologies and epistemological friction
● Historiographical and theoretical innovations in historical writing
● Alternative postcolonial, decolonial, and Indigenous Studies approaches to the past
● Collective memory, public commemorations, and the popular interpretation of history
● Gender, sexuality, and the shaping of historical identities and roles
● Capital, coloniality, and labour relations in historical perspective
● Material culture, environmental histories, and more-than-human temporalities
● Cross-border mobility and temporal shifts
● Marginalised archives, memory and oral histories
The MHJ invites submissions from MA, PhD and Early Career Researchers in historical disciplines, including the history of science, heritage, classics, and archaeology. Article manuscripts must be no more than 8,000 words including footnotes. Book review manuscripts must be no more than 1,000 words. In addition to traditional scholarly articles, we encourage submissions that explore novel methods of presenting historical research. These could include reflective pieces, thematic or book review essays, interviews or conversations, primary source translations and commentaries, creative responses, and contributions that incorporate visual art.
The MHJ also accepts book reviews that are consistent with the scope of the journal. We are able to source review copies of books from publishers for our authors. Publishers or editors requesting a book review should contact [email protected] by 1st August 2026.
If you are interested in contributing to Volume 49, please contact us at [email protected]. The deadline for paper submissions is 30th September 2026.
Please visit the website for submission instructions, style guide, and book review guidelines. https://www.mhj.net.au/submit/
