Wasafiri
Wasafiri is the UK’s leading magazine of international contemporary writing. Launched in 1984 to create a vibrant publication space for authors and critics from Africa, the Caribbean, South Asia, and their diasporas, Wasafiri has spread its reach over the last 36 years to encompass the works of writers worldwide. The magazine played a pioneering role in reviewing the first novels and early poetry of writers who are now well-known, challenging the predominant assumption that their work would only be of ‘minority interest’.
Wasafiri remains wedded to this unbounded vision of writing across worlds. Having pioneered a shift in the literary, cultural, and critical landscape, the magazine draws widely across modern culture and the arts, publishing a lively and informed mix of fiction, poetry, interviews, essays, articles, and reviews. In today’s increasingly divided world, the magazine’s original mission to provoke cross-cultural dialogue and provide a space for the publication of distinctive new work from across the globe is ever more vital. Continuing to introduce readers to the best in international writing and committed to promoting the freshest talents, it opens spaces for reading and writing across borders, imagining diverse possibilities for belonging.
HOW WOULD LAHP STUDENTS BENEFIT FROM A PLACEMENT AT WASAFIRI
A Wasafiri placement offers an excellent opportunity for personal and professional development for students looking towards careers in academia or in the wider arts sector. LAHP-funded students would develop concrete skills in arts publishing, administration, archiving, fundraising, and events, demonstrate the value and impact of their research beyond academia, with opportunity for the roles offered to adapt to students’ particular aims and interests.
Wasafiri placements offer students the opportunity to gain and improve the skills necessary for the completion of their research, including time management, editing, communication, and the skills necessary to bring their research to the right audience (including networking, marketing, and copywriting). Placement-holders have the opportunity to explore arts work beyond academia, including project/event planning, management and evaluation, fundraising, and organisational strategy. Placement-holders play a crucial role in the management of the submissions process through reading and screening submissions for the magazine and regularly attending editorial meetings. They would have the opportunity to contribute to shaping the content of the magazine and website, enabling them to discover and influence emerging scholarship and promote innovative interdisciplinary productions, as well as gain content and copyediting experience.
As a creative, cultural, and public organisation engaged in furthering the arts and humanities, Wasafiri would provide an additional setting in which to disseminate the findings of placement-holders’ research. Further, by working with authors and organisations located across the world, LAHP-students would expand their network of arts and humanities practitioners and researchers and learn to communicate with a wide variety of stakeholders.
OPEN TO PLACEMENT PROPOSALS FROM LAHP STUDENTS AND SUPERVISORS
Yes
SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS FOR PLACEMENT PROPOSALS
Placement-holders must be able to multi-task effectively and work in a self-directed way. As a small team, all members of Wasafiri staff work in collaborative and versatile ways to get projects done; placement-holders would be welcomed into this supportive workspace and expected to contribute in kind. Experience with events, public outreach, and project management are desirable.
AREAS/DEPARTMENTS OPEN TO PLACEMENT PROPOSALS
Placement-holders at Wasafiri should split their time between a specific project and supporting and contributing to the management of our editorial process. We welcome placement proposals in the following areas:
Editorial: reading and selecting submissions, contributing to strategy for magazine and website content, managing relationships with contributors, peer reviewers, etc.
Arts administration: day-to-day administration of a small arts organisation, contributing to organisational strategy, grant applications, evaluation of projects, reporting to funding partners.
Arts events: supporting the programme development of literature events to reach new audiences, highlight international literature, to introduce the best new writers, and to promote Wasafiri’s work.
Archival management and research: working collaboratively with the British Library on their Wasafiri archive, alongside a doctoral student at QMUL, with the potential for events and exhibitions, online projects, and more.
PLACEMENT OPPORTUNITIES AVAILABLE
CONTACT
Dr Elizabeth Robertson, Wasafiri Administration and Programmes Manager, elizabeth.robertson@qmul.ac.uk
