The Activist History Review invites proposals for our April issue, “Gun Violence in the United States.”
On December 14, 2012, Adam Lanza entered Sandy Hook Elementary School and began shooting. When the shooting stopped, Lanza had killed 20 small children and six staff members. What should have been a turning point in our public policy concerning guns and public safety became, instead, a testament to the power of the gun lobby.
In the wake of the Newtown massacre, far-right conspiracy theorist and propagandist Alex Jones used the event’s visibility and the vested interest of Second-Amendment conservatives as a springboard for his personal fame. Republicans in Congress, beholden to the gun lobby, argued that school shootings showed that we needed more guns in schools. The NRA and gun manufacturers fed on rumors that President Obama was coming to forcibly confiscate guns, leading to a surge in gun purchases.
The aftermath of Newtown revealed our worst impulses. We worry that, in the wake of the recent school shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, our country will continue to succumb to its worst impulses. It is time, with one voice, to advance our best. As part of that project, The Activist History Review invites proposals that address the causes of epidemic gun violence in the U.S.
Potential topics include, but are not limited to:
- The Second Amendment
- Massacres in U.S. History
- White supremacy and gun ownership
- Property, capitalism, and guns
- Apocalyptic beliefs
- The history of the gun lobby
- Nationalism
- Military and martial culture
- Global models of reform
Proposals should be no more than 250 words for articles from 1250-2000 words, and should be emailed to William Horne by Friday, March 16th at 11:59 PM. Please also include a short bio of no more than 100 words.
The Activist History Review 
Please include perspectives on the tradition of African-American gun ownership and the history of self-defense committees.
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That is an excellent and important topic and exactly the sort of thing we would like to feature!
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Welcomed would be the topic of cryptoanarchist movements and activists like Cody Wilson of Defence Distributed who aim to undermine the state / capitalist monopoly on arms through technology such as 3D printing and desktop CNC machines.
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Sorry I didn’t see your comment sooner, but you’re quite right to note that 3D printing completely changes the “gun control” game. Unfortunately we didn’t get a submission on that front, or one analyzing the importance of guns to far-left groups, both for self defense and political purposes.
Would certainly be interested in a late submission on either (or both) topic(s).
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