About us
RLit is the first open-access journal in the field of law and literature in Germany. It was founded at Prof. Dr Anja Schiemann’s Chair in Cologne, together with her team members Büşra Akay and Hannah Schulze Zurmussen. The idea for the journal was born during a research stay in Berkeley, during which the editors had the opportunity to engage with the American law and literature movement.
The journal is an innovative hub for the publication of interdisciplinary contributions on law and literature, film, art and the humanities. It brings together established academic voices with the perspectives of young researchers and students to advance this field, which is still in its early stages, at least in Germany.
Aims and Scope
RLit aims to promote interdisciplinary dialogue between legal studies and the humanities and cultural studies, and to establish itself as a forum for the law-and-literature movement in Germany. The journal publishes original articles in German and English that explore the intersections of law, literature, and related media.
We welcome contributions from various disciplines, including legal studies, literary studies, cultural studies, media studies, philosophy, sociology, and theater and film studies, though this list is not exhaustive. Thematic focuses include, for example:
- Law in media and popular culture
- Textuality and narrativity of law
- Interdisciplinary methodology and theory of law and literature
Other areas of focus are expressly welcome. RLit invites submissions from scholars at all career stages and welcomes perspectives that highlight diversity in subject matter, theory, and method.
RLit is published twice a year (summer and winter) as an open-access journal. The journal deliberately does not impose strict requirements regarding length and format in order to provide space for experimental and cross-genre contributions. Typical contributions are about 10 pages long; shorter texts are just as welcome as longer scholarly articles. If you have questions about the suitability of a planned contribution, the editors are happy to provide preliminary consultation.
Open Access Statement
This is an open access journal which means that all content is freely available without charge to the user or his/her institution. Users are allowed to read, download, copy, distribute, print, search, or link to the full texts of the articles, or use them for any other lawful purpose, without asking prior permission from the publisher or the author. This is in accordance with the BOAI definition of open access.