Watermark Journal
Welcome to Watermark, an annual scholarly journal published by graduate students in the Department of English at California State University, Long Beach (CSULB). We are dedicated to publishing original critical and theoretical essays concerned with literature of all genres and periods, as well as papers representing current issues in the fields of rhetoric and composition. Reviews of current works of literary criticism are also featured in Watermark. As this journal is intended to provide a forum for emerging voices, only student work is considered for publication.
All of the CSULB graduate students who have had a hand in forming and continuing this tradition should feel proud. Moreover, the contributing domestic and international graduate students should also feel proud. Watermark, over the course of its brief run, has published from around the globe. In these pages, the reader can travel across different countries—from local CSUs to London, Denmark, and Taiwan. With this being said, the current edition of Watermark 18 is underway and intends to expand upon its predecessors with the same inclusive, expansive enthusiasm.
—Johann Long and Randy Reynaga, Co-Executive Editors of Watermark 19, Co-Executive Editors of Watermark 19
Watermark is dedicated to publishing original critical and theoretical papers concerning the fields of rhetoric, composition, and literature of all genres and periods—download our Watermark 19 - Call for Papers
As this journal is intended to provide a forum for emerging voices, only student work will be considered.
For the nineteenth volume of the journal, to be published in late spring 2025, we are seeking papers reflecting a theme of Writing from the Margins. We invite students to submit works that consider this theme broadly, exploring writing written by or portraying marginalized voices and exploring these texts from a lens that brings those voices into focus. Potential topics may include but are not limited to:
- Examining texts written by historically marginalized communities
- Exploring texts from a decolonial, queer, disability studies, and/or intersectional lens
- Highlighting how certain voices are assimilated or pushed further into the margins
We will consider works on all topics, but thematically related papers are encouraged.
We are currently in the process of publishing Watermark 19. Submissions for publication are being accepted from December 1, 2024 – March 1, 2025. Please see the information below for submission requirements.
Submission Requirements
All submissions must include a 250-word abstract and a cover page that consists of your name, phone number, email address, paper title, and a short biography (no more than 2 sentences). All submissions should be between 6-20 pages, typed in current MLA format with standard 12-point font. Do not include your name in the essay document itself, as it will be read by a double-blind peer review panel. Email papers and all other required documents as separate Word attachments, with the subject heading as “Watermark 2025.”
Please direct submissions and/or other questions to: csulbwatermarkjournal@gmail.com
All links will open as PDFs
