IU Press announces new series, academic journal

The IU Press will begin publishing a new journal exploring the subject of black masculinity, the Press announced Aug. 1.

The journal, called “Spectrum,” will begin publishing in March and will focus on what it means to be a black male in “a gendered, heteronormative, capitalist society,” according to a press release.

While books collecting discourse on the black male perspective exist, the journal will include academic writing from a broader scope of contributors.

“IU Press is honored to partner with the Department of African American and African Studies at the Ohio State University to publish this important and timely new journal,” Janet Rabinowitch, director of IU Press, said.

“Spectrum is an exciting addition to IU Press’ strong list of journals and books that focus on the black diaspora.”

The press also launched a new series this week called “Break Away Books.” The series will focus on fiction, memoirs, creative nonfiction and poetry taking place in the Midwest.

The first book of the series, titled “The Glimpse Traveler,” tells the true story of a nine-day road trip in 1971. During the trip, the author entered the American counterculture and unraveled a tragic mystery. The memoir is written by Purdue University professor Marianne Boruch.

“The Swan,” the series’ second book, is a fictional memoir set in 1957 Indianapolis. It recounts how a young boy copes after witnessing the death of his younger sister.  
The novel is the first work of fiction by Jim Cohee, a former Sierra Club Books editor.

— Jake New