JOURNAL OF MATERIAL CULTURE

Scope & Guideline

Transforming Perspectives on Materiality and Society

Introduction

Welcome to the JOURNAL OF MATERIAL CULTURE information hub, where our guidelines provide a wealth of knowledge about the journal’s focus and academic contributions. This page includes an extensive look at the aims and scope of JOURNAL OF MATERIAL CULTURE, highlighting trending and emerging areas of study. We also examine declining topics to offer insight into academic interest shifts. Our curated list of highly cited topics and recent publications is part of our effort to guide scholars, using these guidelines to stay ahead in their research endeavors.
LanguageEnglish
ISSN1359-1835
PublisherSAGE PUBLICATIONS LTD
Support Open AccessNo
CountryUnited Kingdom
TypeJournal
Convergefrom 1996 to 2024
AbbreviationJ MAT CULT / J. Mat. Cult.
Frequency4 issues/year
Time To First Decision-
Time To Acceptance-
Acceptance Rate-
Home Page-
Address1 OLIVERS YARD, 55 CITY ROAD, LONDON EC1Y 1SP, ENGLAND

Aims and Scopes

The JOURNAL OF MATERIAL CULTURE focuses on the intersections of materiality, culture, and the social dimensions of objects. It aims to explore how material culture shapes and is shaped by human experiences and practices, offering a multidisciplinary approach that encompasses anthropology, sociology, history, and art theory.
  1. Material Agency:
    Explores how objects influence human behavior and social interactions, emphasizing the active role of materiality in shaping cultural practices.
  2. Cultural Memory and Identity:
    Investigates the relationship between objects and memory, identity formation, and the ways that material culture can signify personal and collective narratives.
  3. Temporal and Spatial Dynamics of Objects:
    Examines how objects change meaning over time and across spaces, including their roles in various socio-political contexts and historical narratives.
  4. Affective Materiality:
    Focuses on the emotional and sensory experiences associated with objects, exploring how material culture can evoke feelings and memories.
  5. Sustainability and Ethics in Material Culture:
    Analyzes the implications of material practices in terms of sustainability, ethical consumption, and the socio-political impacts of material choices.
  6. Transdisciplinary Approaches to Material Culture:
    Encourages collaboration across disciplines to better understand the complex relationships between materials, culture, and societal structures.
Recent publications in the JOURNAL OF MATERIAL CULTURE indicate a vibrant evolution in research themes, highlighting emerging areas of interest that reflect contemporary societal challenges and innovative methodologies.
  1. Impact of Digital Media on Material Culture:
    An increasing number of studies explore how digital technologies influence material practices, such as online communities shaping the meanings of objects and digital representations of cultural heritage.
  2. Material Culture in Conflict and Post-Conflict Contexts:
    There is a growing focus on how material culture is implicated in narratives of conflict, trauma, and healing, especially in relation to displaced communities and the aftermath of violence.
  3. Gender and Materiality:
    Research examining the intersections of gender and material culture is gaining traction, addressing how gender identities and roles are expressed and negotiated through objects.
  4. Environmental Sustainability and Material Practices:
    Emerging themes highlight the relationship between material culture and environmental issues, particularly how sustainable practices can reshape consumer habits and cultural values.
  5. Affective and Sensory Engagement with Objects:
    An increasing emphasis on the emotional and sensory experiences associated with objects signifies a trend toward understanding materiality through the lens of affect theory.

Declining or Waning

While the JOURNAL OF MATERIAL CULTURE continues to evolve, certain themes have shown a decline in focus over recent years. This could reflect shifting priorities in research interests or the maturation of previously explored topics.
  1. Traditional Ethnographic Studies:
    Papers that strictly adhere to traditional ethnographic methodologies are becoming less prevalent, as the journal increasingly embraces innovative and interdisciplinary approaches.
  2. Static Representations of Material Culture:
    There appears to be a waning interest in studies that treat material culture as fixed or unchanging, with a growing preference for dynamic interpretations that account for the fluidity of meaning.
  3. Overly Theoretical Discussions:
    The journal has shifted focus away from highly abstract theoretical discussions about material culture, favoring empirical case studies that provide concrete examples and applications.

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