Carnival

Since 1999, ISHA published a yearly academic journal called Carnival. Its available both online and in print in many university libraries. The journal is a rare opportunity for students to share their ideas and the results of their research. Publishing in Carnival is open to all students of history and related sciences – not only ISHA members!

Carnival is a double-blind peer-reviewed academic journal, published online with the support of the International Students of History Association (ISHA). CARNIVAL is directed by a committee of international graduate students and early career researchers affiliated with the International Students of History Association

Aims & Scope

“Carnival” refers to the idea that “when students publish an international journal of their own, the moment is carnivalistic, since  ‘commoners become kings,’ implying a revolution of the existing hierarchy.” (Saaritsa, Sakari, “Editorial” Carnival I (1999), p.3). 

Carnival aims to provide a forum for developing scholars to gain experience with academic publishing, both as authors and editors. The journal is a rare opportunity for students to share their ideas and the results of their research. Carnival welcomes research articles, book reviews, essays and conference reviews dealing. It welcomes submissions from researchers of all disciplines and institutions on topics that concern a broad range of time periods and geographies. Publishing in Carnival is open to all students of history and related sciences – not only ISHA members!

In addition to showcasing the work of students of the historical sciences at all academic stages, Carnival provides a unique platform from which emerging scholars are able to develop their skills as writers, editors and reviewers; they also familiarize themselves with the processes integral to academic publishing. The journal is published open access online and will now be expanded with a Conference Proceedings issue. 

History of Carnival

Since 1999, ISHA published a yearly academic journal called Carnival. It’s available both online and in print in many university libraries. The journal was first published in different cities, as ISHA sections alternated the responsibility of maintaining it. Since 2015, Carnival has been published in Berlin, Germany, as new technologies have made it possible for history students from all over the world to form an Editorial Board and cooperate in creating each edition of the journal.

In 2021, an additional publication series was announced: Carnival – Conference Proceedings. The new format will run parallel to the Carnival journal and aims to collect and share excellent research carried out in the context of preparation for and participation in ISHA seminars. As these seminars and the exchange of historical research results are at the core of ISHA’s academic activities, we want to motivate attendees to enhance and valorise their research and participation through academic output. The call for papers will be launched annually and welcomes publications related to seminars of the previous year. 

Conference proceedings of specific events, ISHA Journal and ISHA-News editions have been digitised and published open access in the Carnival Archive.

A quick overview of Carnival

  • Overview of the current and previous Call for Papers
  • Get to know the Editorial Board, a group of enthousiast early career researchers and students. The Editorial Board is assembled based on experience, affinity with the peer-review and publication process and intrinsic motivation.
  • Consult the latest publication CARNIVAL Vol. XXII
  • Discover all the previous publications in our online archive
  • Read more about our referencing and submission guidelines
  • Read more about the ISHA guidelines concerning research integrity and ethics, as stipulated in the Code of Conduct. All individuals submitting an article agree to have read and understood these principles, and by submitting their academic work to Carnival, agree to adhere to them.
  • For more information, spontaneous submission or candidacies to become part of the Editorial Board, please contact the Editor in Chief on ishacarnivaleditor@gmail.com.