We've been quiet lately, and there were reasons for it: we will tell you a bit more about it soon. But for now, we decided there is no better day than Mayday to open up for submissions for Lumpen #13!

 

So, without further delay, we are delighted to inform you that our renowned Lumpen: A Journal of Poor and Working Class Writers is back in the game. Thanks to our new graphic designer, we refreshed its look and format. The content is changing, too, and we are taking the magazine in a new direction: we will now endeavour to become a more current affairs socio-political publication that analyses and discusses contemporary issues.

 

What remains the same is that we will do the above based on real-life experiences, thoughts, and politics as told by poor and working-class people. 

 

We want Lumpen to contribute to the general political discourse. We want to tune in to real people's political discussions and bring class focus to them.  We want to provide a platform to develop solutions to contemporary world issues to help us progress towards a better societal model.  We want to contribute to the development of class politics and theory that will provide ideas and solutions matching the actual reality of the 21st century rather than endlessly focusing on grand books of the past. We want to tackle class reductionism and the gatekeepers who obstruct the progress in the much-needed update of class analysis. We want to challenge the dismissal of class politics and the role class poses in our society. We want to give voice to those often talked for rather than listened to regarding the events and policies affecting them the most. 

 

All this means that we are now more interested in socio-political commentary and accounts of real experiences and less interested in fiction and poetry. That's not to say we would reject fiction and poetry as a policy! Working class creativity knows no boundaries, and there are many examples of how works of fiction were a powerful tool in influencing class politics, after all. But we do want to give prominent space to non-fiction, commentary and analysis types of writing as we see a gap that needs filling here. 

 

And so, the first issue of the reformed Lumpen (AKA Lumpen #13) will be themed "Redefining class politics". We want to hear from you what social class means to you in 2024, in your own words. We want to know how you see class politics refreshed and matching real-world challenges, how class intersections with other forms of oppression in our society, how different political proposals, actions and ideas interact with the class discourse. We want to know how you see the class discourse and theory changing to better reflect the complexities of modern society…. Or anything else you think is relevant based on what you read above. 

 

We especially encourage submissions from those often excluded from class discourse in the UK. These groups are, among others:

• Migrants and those for whom English is not their first language

• Members of the global majority

• Gender-oppressed people, and especially trans people who currently face horrific levels of discrimination in the UK and who nearly never are given a voice in how this affects those of them who also face class oppression. 

• People working in the so-called gig economy

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Additionally, we would like to assure you that if you have never been published before, this will work to your advantage :). As always, we welcome all levels of writing and English language skills: if we think improvements are needed, we will work with you to sort it out, and we will do it in a friendly, non-judgemental manner. 

 

Some house rules:

•  Please pitch your piece first before submitting it in full. 

• Word count: 800 minimum, 2400 maximum (with some flexibility either way). 

• Deadline: 15th June at midnight

• If we publish you, we will offer a small payment

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All submissions and questions should be sent to editor@theclassworkproject.com. Our editor is here to help you, so don't hesitate!

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