Starting Points is a project of the Kinder Institute on Constitutional Democracy at the University of Missouri. In keeping with the mission of the Kinder Institute, Starting Points aims to foster an understanding of the principles of the American political tradition among academics and citizens in a non-partisan and interdisciplinary manner.
We welcome essays that address the meaning and significance of American principles such as democracy, freedom, equality, rights, the rule of law or constitutionalism, either in themselves or as they appear in particular texts and contexts, as well as essays that address the conjunction of these principles with present or past American practice. We also welcome essays in a comparative or international relations vein that shed light on American principles and their practical application. The journal strives to reflect a wide variety of approaches to this general topic, including those characteristic of history, political science, philosophy, law, literature, and cultural studies.
Submissions should be 1,500 to 2,000 words, and should not contain any footnotes or bibliography. All citations should be either integrated into the body of the text or included as embedded links. Please see previously published articles for examples of style and for a sense of our topical range.
Please send all submissions and inquiries to editor@startingpointsjournal.com.
