''Porn Studies'' is a quarterly
peer-reviewed
Peer review is the evaluation of work by one or more people with similar competencies as the producers of the work ( peers). It functions as a form of self-regulation by qualified members of a profession within the relevant field. Peer revie ...
academic journal
An academic journal or scholarly journal is a periodical publication in which scholarship relating to a particular academic discipline is published. Academic journals serve as permanent and transparent forums for the presentation, scrutiny, and ...
covering the study of
pornography
Pornography (often shortened to porn or porno) is the portrayal of sexual subject matter for the exclusive purpose of sexual arousal. Primarily intended for adults, . It is published by
Routledge
Routledge () is a British multinational publisher. It was founded in 1836 by George Routledge, and specialises in providing academic books, journals and online resources in the fields of the humanities, behavioural science, education, law ...
and was established in 2014. The
editors-in-chief
An editor-in-chief (EIC), also known as lead editor or chief editor, is a publication's editorial leader who has final responsibility for its operations and policies.
The highest-ranking editor of a publication may also be titled editor, managing ...
are Feona Attwood (
Middlesex University
Middlesex University London (legally Middlesex University and abbreviated MDX) is a public research university in Hendon, northwest London, England. The name of the university is taken from its location within the historic county boundaries ...
), John Mercer (
Birmingham City University
, mottoeng = "Do what you are doing; attend to your business"
, established = 1992—gained university status1971—City of Birmingham Polytechnic1843—Birmingham College of Art
, type = Public
, affiliation = ...
), and Clarissa Smith (
University of Sunderland
, mottoeng = Sweetly absorbing knowledge
, established = 1901 - Sunderland Technical College1969 - Sunderland Polytechnic1992 - University of Sunderland (gained university status)
, staff =
, chancellor = Emel ...
).
In a call for papers, the editors described the journal as "the first dedicated, international, peer-reviewed journal to critically explore those cultural products and services designated as pornographic".
Reception and review
Writing in ''
The Guardian
''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'', and changed its name in 1959. Along with its sister papers '' The Observer'' and '' The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardian'' is part of the ...
'', John Dugdale considered the journal's appearance to be an implicit criticism of
cultural studies
Cultural studies is an interdisciplinary field that examines the political dynamics of contemporary culture (including popular culture) and its historical foundations. Cultural studies researchers generally investigate how cultural practices re ...
' failure to investigate pornography, a reflection of
the dispute in
second-wave feminism
Second-wave feminism was a period of feminist activity that began in the early 1960s and lasted roughly two decades. It took place throughout the Western world, and aimed to increase equality for women by building on previous feminist gains.
...
between supporters and opponents of pornography. The newspaper associated the editors with the former position, as for example represented by
Angela Carter
Angela Olive Pearce (formerly Carter, Stalker; 7 May 1940 – 16 February 1992), who published under the name Angela Carter, was an English novelist, short story writer, poet, and journalist, known for her feminist, magical realism, and picar ...
.
The journal's establishment was criticized by
anti-pornography campaigners.
Gail Dines
Gail Dines (born 29 July 1958) is professor emerita of sociology and women's studies at Wheelock College in Boston, Massachusetts.
A radical feminist, Dines specializes in the study of pornography. Described in 2010 as the world's leading anti-p ...
, a leading anti-pornography activist, compared Attwood and Smith to "
climate change denier
Climate change denial, or global warming denial, is denial, dismissal, or doubt that contradicts the scientific consensus on climate change, including the extent to which it is caused by humans, its effects on nature and human society, or the ...
s" and "cheerleaders for the industry".
Lily Rothman of ''
Time
Time is the continued sequence of existence and event (philosophy), events that occurs in an apparently irreversible process, irreversible succession from the past, through the present, into the future. It is a component quantity of various me ...
'' magazine commented that "anyone looking for titillation is likely to be disappointed. (Unless what turns you on is sociological analysis, in which case—it's your lucky day.)" According to
Alexis Madrigal
Alexis Madrigal (born 1983/84) is an American journalist. He's currently the new co-host of KQED's Forum.
In 2010, Madrigal began working for ''The Atlantic''. In 2014, he was promoted to deputy editor of TheAtlantic.com. He joined '' Fusion'' l ...
of ''
The Atlantic
''The Atlantic'' is an American magazine and multi-platform publisher. It features articles in the fields of politics, foreign affairs, business and the economy, culture and the arts, technology, and science.
It was founded in 1857 in Boston, ...
'', "the mere fact of its existence, which became public in mid-2013, was occasion for a media event. But the journal's articles are serious articulations of the intersection between the concerns of media studies and those of pornography. ''Porn Studies'' is not a joke, though it seems to provide everyone with some relief to treat it as one."
References
External links
* {{Official website, http://www.tandfonline.com/loi/rprn20#
2014 establishments in England
English-language journals
Publications established in 2014
Quarterly journals
Sexology journals
Routledge academic journals
Taylor & Francis academic journals