McGill’s undergraduate journals provide a platform for students and aspiring scholars to collect and share academic writing on topics that they are passionate about. The McGill Tribune has compiled a list of featured journals at McGill that publish new and innovative research.
The Biannual Online-Journal of Springsteen Studies (BOSS)
Founded in 2014 by Jonathan D. Cohen, who was finishing his undergraduate degree in history at the time, BOSS publishes peer-reviewed essays on the work of Bruce Springsteen. The content is multi-disciplinary, covering everything from lyrical analysis to surveys of his devoted fanbase; contributors have backgrounds in academic fields such as literary and cultural studies, history, religious studies, and psychology. While the topic might seem niche to some, Cohen noted that BOSS’s open-access website attracts almost 18,000 readers a year.
“To me, the value of journals like this is expressed in the impact it has on its readers,” Cohen said. “Even though we’ve made his work into an academic study, Springsteen’s music reaches so many people that this journal is beyond the scope of just scholars. It’s for everybody.”
Article worth reading: “Another side of ‘Born in the U.S.A.’: Form, Paradox, and Rhetorical Indirection” by Jason Schneider provides a fascinating look into the complexities of patriotism, critiques of the United States, and the rhetoric in Springsteen’s hit song.
CuiZine: The Journal of Canadian Food Culture
This journal explores all aspects of Canadian cuisine through analytical articles, poetry, and visual art. From poutine in Quebec to seal in Nunavut, CuiZine regards Canadian food not as a static aspect of culture, but as a constantly evolving field. Additionally, CuiZine accepts creative submissions, including poetry and short stories on culinary culture. Through this diverse content, the journal shows that food can both connect and distinguish Canadians.
Article worth reading: “Poutine Dynamics” by Nicolas Fabien-Ouellet explores the stigma, adaptation, and social mobility of the classic Quebecois dish.
Montreal Architecture Review
Published annually since 2014, the Montreal Architecture Review offers a multidisciplinary approach to architecture. Its most recent issue focused the expression of ethical and spiritual ideals in architecture. By providing a historical and philosophical view on the concrete art of designing buildings, the journal makes connections between other fields of study, like literature and psychology.
Article worth reading: “That Dark Cabinet: Building the Morbid Anatomy Museum” by Robert Kirkbride recounts how the author conceived of the Morbid Anatomy Museum in Brooklyn, New York, with ample historical and art-historical research to help explain his design process.
Canadian Review of Art Education (CRAE)
For over 40 years, this annual journal has published articles and essays focused on art education. CRAE provides and analyzes research from scholars in the field of art education with accompanying visual artwork and poetry. According to Heather McLeod, the journal’s editor-in-chief, the publication is a platform for scholars from different disciplines to exchange ideas.
“The journal provides a place to communicate art education research on a national and international scale,” McLeod said. “While we focus primarily on academic research, in recent years our journal has taken a more interdisciplinary approach to show the connection between both the research and the art forms.”
Article worth reading: “Ekphrastic conversations: Writing Poems as Dialogues with Works of Art” by Amanda Gulla studies poetry written in response to celebrated works of art.
