Australian Literary Studies is one of Australia’s longest-running scholarly journals and a non-profit organisation which runs independent of government or university funding. Founded in 1963 by Laurie Hergenhan at the University of Tasmania, and edited from 2002 to 2015 by Leigh Dale at the University of Wollongong, it is now edited by Julieanne Lamond at Australian National University and Tanya Dalziell at the University of Western Australia.

ALS has a proud history of publishing innovative scholarship and supporting the study and reading of Australian literature in ways that expand the scope of literary studies internationally. The journal also strives to be accessible to students, researchers, libraries, and interested readers by offering a small-scale mix of subscription and open access publishing. New essays are open access for a period of at least four weeks; the archive is accessible via institutional or individual subscriptions.

In this way, ALS has been active in publishing scholarship on the work of Aboriginal authors; it has been less successful in attracting submissions from Aboriginal critics and scholars, and scholars from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds. We recognise this situation and are taking action to redress it.

As a journal with a high degree of esteem in the field, it is important for us to use this position to amplify the work of these scholars; to continue to encourage, publish and promote literary scholarship in Australia and beyond; and to foster the readership of Australian literature and Australian literary scholarship in all its forms.

To this end, we are pleased to announce a new Book Reviews Program for emerging and early-career scholars. Reviews will centre on scholarly and non-fiction books about Australian literary cultures and/or by Australian literary studies scholars. The program will include mentoring in academic publishing from our editorial team and payment of $200 (for unwaged, precariously employed, or postgraduate colleagues).

We particularly welcome expressions of interest from academics and critics of diverse backgrounds. Australian Literary Studies is committed to broadening literary conversations and recognises that the publication of Aboriginal scholars and critics, and writers from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, is vital to the promotion and support of Australian literature and its diverse readership.

Please let us know here of your interest or feel free to email us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

We look forward to hearing from you

Julieanne Lamond and Tanya Dalziell