Independent Magazines Today

Abstract

Periodical studies have produced a wealth of research by not only fostering transdisciplinary cooperation but also encouraging the crossing of national and language boundaries. Being grounded in departments of history, literature, culture and area studies ensures the careful and granular reading of issues and the recovery of neglected print archives and personal networks. However, contemporary independent magazines have not yet featured in the scholarly journals of the field. This special issue entiteld "Independent Magazines Today" seeks to highlight the proliferation and vitality of magazines in a niche that is often overlooked, yet deserves closer analysis in order to understand its diversity on and off the page. This introduction first touches on some genealogical aspects of the development of indie aesthetics before discussing independent magazines’ investment in the niche audiences for whom magazines and their aesthetics may serve as a vehicle for diverse contemporary lifestyles. The last section briefly discusses ‘materiality’ and ‘affect’ as two possible key concepts to understanding the workings of indie magazines and their appeal, before introducing the three contributions.