Two editorial positions are soon to be open in Fafnir – Nordic Journal of Science Fiction and Fantasy Research:
- position of an editor-in-chief and
- position of the reviews editor.
Both positions are open for a three-year term (2023‒2025) starting from next January. The journal currently has two other editors-in-chief, Essi Varis and Elizabeth Oakes, who will continue in their posts. Working in Fafnir offers an excellent vantage point to the field of speculative fiction research and an opportunity for international scholarly exchange. The positions do not involve financial compensation.
About the Journal
Fafnir – Nordic Journal of Science Fiction and Fantasy Research is a World Fantasy Award winning, peer-reviewed, interdisciplinary academic journal. The journal has been in publication since 2014 and is managed by the Finnish Society for Science Fiction and Fantasy Research (Suomen science fiction- ja fantasiatutkimuksen seura ry, finfar.org). The journal operates completely online, and new issues are currently put out biannually, around Midsummer and Christmas.
Fafnir provides a fully open-access international forum for interdisciplinary scholarly exchanges on science fiction, fantasy, and other genres of speculative fiction across all media. The journal publishes texts ranging from peer-reviewed research articles to short overviews, essays, interviews, opinion pieces, and academic book reviews on any subject suited to the scope of the journal. The main language of the journal is English, but articles and other texts are also published in the Nordic languages.
Fafnir is classified as a Level 1 journal in the Publication Forum for the Federation of Finnish Learned Societies. Its articles are currently indexed under MLA International Bibliography, the Directory of Open-Access Journals, and The Science Fiction and Fantasy Research Database (SFFRD). The journal itself is listed in the MLA Directory of Periodicals as well as the Directory of Open-Access Journals. In 2020, Fafnir received the World Fantasy Award for its contributions to SFF research.
You can read more about Fafnir and browse all its content at journal.finfar.org.
Responsibilities of the Editors-in-Chief
Each year, Finfar appoints a new editor-in-chief to serve for a three-year term alongside two other similarly rotated editors-in-chief. Together, these three editors-in-chief make the executive decisions about the contents of the journal and the editorial process. With the support of the Academic Advisory Board, the reviews editor and the sub-editor, the editors-in-chief are responsible for maintaining the academic quality and editorial direction of the journal, and for ensuring a steady flow of engaging and thought-provoking original research articles and other texts. In practice, this means that the editors-in-chief write calls for papers as well as the editorials, evaluate and accept submissions for peer review, provide editorial feedback to the authors, and manage the peer review process. They are also expected to copyedit the finished articles. This duty is distributed among the editorial staff according to language skills. In addition, editors-in-chief should have passion and vision for developing the journal and promoting research into the speculative genres. Editors-in-chief receive memberships in the Council of Editors of Learned Journals (CELJ) (or the Finnish equivalent, Tiedetoimittajain liitto) for the duration of their terms.
What we expect from a prospective editor-in-chief:
- At least an MA-level degree in a relevant academic field, preferably a PhD
- Extensive expertise and interest in the field of speculative fiction and SFF research
- (Near) native-level proficiency in English
- Willingness to promote the research of speculative fiction both within the Nordic countries and abroad
- Good cooperation skills and ability to work online with flexible schedules
- Not required but appreciated: experience with academic publishing and online publishing, experience with proofreading and copyediting, proficiency in any of the Nordic languages (Danish, Finnish, Icelandic, Norwegian, Swedish)
Responsibilities of the Reviews Editor
As the title suggests, the reviews editor is responsible for the academic book reviews included in each issue of Fafnir. In practice, this entails scouting interesting new titles related to the study of speculative fiction, asking publishers for review copies and recruiting suitable scholars to write the reviews. The readers of Fafnir are also encouraged to contact the reviews editor and suggest or submit their own reviews. The reviews editor thus maintains and facilitates contact with and between publishers and (prospective) reviewers. In addition, they (copy)edit the finished reviews. Overall, the position of a reviews editor is ideal for building and maintaining networks in the field of SFF research and can thus be a great stepping stone for an early-career researcher.
What we expect from a prospective reviews editor:
- (At least) an MA-level degree in a relevant academic field
- Interest in the field of speculative fiction
- (Near) native-level proficiency in English
- Good cooperation skills, networking skills and ability to work online with flexible schedules
- Not required but appreciated: experience and existing networks within academic publishing, experience with proofreading and copyediting, proficiency in any of the Nordic languages (Danish, Finnish, Icelandic, Norwegian, Swedish)
The Application Process
To apply, please send your CV, list of publications and a one-page motivation letter to pj@finfar.org.
The application period for both positions closes on September 30, 2022.
The new editors are chosen by the board of the Finnish Society for Science Fiction and Fantasy Research. The current editors and the chair of the academic advisory board may also be consulted regarding the appointments. All applicants are informed about the board’s decision by the end of November. The selected applicants are expected to take on their editorial duties from the beginning of 2023 and will be informally trained for their positions by the current editors.
For more information on the application process, please contact:
the Chair of the Finnish Society for Science Fiction and Fantasy Research (Finfar) Oskari Rantala (pj@finfar.org)
For more information on the journal and its practices, please contact:
the Chair of the journal’s Academic Advisory Board Merja Polvinen (merja.polvinen@helsinki.fi)