Babble is a peer-reviewed, open-access journal of art theory and criticism that circulates the theoretical discourses of contemporary art through short, sharp, and provocative texts.

The journal’s name draws upon two references. The first is the Tower of Babel: the plurality of languages, discourses, and perspectives constitutes the structural condition of the contemporary art field. The second is babbling: the sound itself that has not yet transitioned into meaning, representing the raw and experimental moment of artistic production. Babble positions itself between these two poles—between theoretical depth and experimental boldness.

Babble proceeds from the conviction that the lengthy and ponderous academic article format suffocates art writing. The journal publishes two formats: short theoretical notes (max. 3,000 words) and one invited extended article per volume (max. 8,000 words). Every short text must feature a mandatory “Thesis” section, which articulates a definitive claim by examining an artwork, phenomenon, or concept through a theoretical lens. Texts lacking a thesis are not published in Babble.

Editorial Structure

The editor-in-chief is responsible for the final decision on every article. The Editorial Board carries out the pre-review of submissions, selects reviewers, oversees the review process and prepares a recommendation based on the reviewers’ reports. The Advisory Board advises the Editorial Board on method, publication ethics and the review process, and takes over the review of any article in which a conflict of interest arises. The language editor edits accepted articles for language before publication; the ethics editor handles questions and complaints concerning publication ethics. Editorial assistants support the editors with technical checks and correspondence; they take no editorial decisions.

Review Process

Every submission first undergoes an editorial pre-review, which checks its fit with the journal’s scope, its format and style, and its “Thesis” section, and includes a similarity check. Articles that pass the pre-review, invited articles included, undergo double-blind review by at least two reviewers. After consulting the Advisory Board, the editor-in-chief decides, on the basis of the reports and the handling editor’s recommendation, whether to accept the article, return it for revision or reject it. Babble aims to reach a first decision within three weeks of submission.

Publication Frequency

Babble publishes one volume a year on a continuous model: each accepted article appears in the current volume as soon as it is ready, without waiting for an issue to be completed. Each volume includes one invited extended article.

Open Access and Fees

All articles published in Babble are freely available, without registration, from the moment of publication. The journal charges authors no fees for submission, review or publication. The licence and copyright terms are set out on the Open Access and Licence page.