Date: Thu, 21 Nov 2002 17:01:05 +0000
From: Mervyn Hartwig <mh-AT-jaspere.demon.co.uk>
Subject: BHA: RE: Statement from IACR Council


Dear listers,

I have been trying to post the following announcement about the 'new
critical realism journal' referred to by Steve/Berth for the last three
days, but for some unknown reason it has not got through. (Nor has
anything else got through to me during this time until Steve/Berth's
statement.) Trying again.

I am not going to comment on the Statement from IACR Council, as I stand
by what I have already put on the public record, which is significantly
at odds with the Statement. I will of course comment to anyone offlist
upon request.

Mervyn

************************
Dear listers,

This is to inform you that, as of now, I am editing a new critical
realism journal (title to be announced). I am taking this initiative at
the urging and with the support of many friends within the critical
realist movement who wish my editorial skills and cultural capital to
continue to be put to good use for critical realism. I thank them all
for their support and advice.

The new journal will be completely independent of IACR and JCR, the
editorship of which I was recently forced, by means most un-critical-
realist, to resign. It will be produced, desktop published and
distributed independently with the help of a small team of assistant
editors. The aim will be to have it produced and distributed by a big
publisher at the earliest opportunity.

The policy of the new journal will be fundamentally the same as that I
laid down as founding editor of Alethia, JCR incorporating Alethia, and
the peer reviewed JCR (whose first issue we are all awaiting). Above
all, it will seek to represent all the various strands within the
critical realist movement, and will uphold the core realist values of
truth, decency and emancipation. It will be peer reviewed, and will
initially appear three times a year - in January, May and September. It
is intended that one of these issues should be themed, with a guest
editor. The new journal will be sold at a competitive market rate -
probably £6 or US $10 per issue.

The first issue will be in May 2003. Negotiations are in hand for it to
carry an edited version of the Bhaskar-Callinicos debate on Marxism and
Realism which will take place in December 2002*, together with a range
of scholarly articles that are in the pipeline. 

Your submissions are cordially invited, to myself by email attachment at
the address below. Please apply to me for Guidelines for Contributors.

Consideration is being given to holding an inaugural launch conference
associated with the journal in London in the autumn of 2003 and annual
conferences thereafter.

I look forward with great enthusiasm to resuming my editorial work and
making whatever contribution I can to the flourishing of the critical
realist tradition as a whole.

With best wishes,

Mervyn Hartwig
Monday, November 18, 2002

* I have Roy Bhaskar's consent for this, but have not yet approached
Alex Callinicos.



*********************************************************

Fleetwood, Steve <s.fleetwood-AT-lancaster.ac.uk> writes
>Dear IACR members and critical realists
>
>As you are aware, Mervyn Hartwig recently resigned as editor of The Journal of
>Critical Realism (JCR) and has now decided to produce a 'New Critical Realism
>Journal'. Being responsible for the long term future of IACR and JCR, members
>of the IACR Council are consulting in order to take appropriate action. 
>
>We all regret that Mervyn has chosen to resign. The incident was initiated
>several weeks ago by a sharp deterioration in the relations between Mervyn and
>the deputy editor (Justin Cruickshank) about methods of production of the
>journal at Nottingham Trent University (NTU). Extensive mediation took place
>with the aim of resolving the problems raised in a manner that was fair,
>workable and acceptable to all. Unfortunately, the disagreement became so
>heated and polarized that even a mediation meeting became impossible. Mervyn
>resigned on 19th October. Further mediation and discussion in Council took
>place for a further 14 days. The two parties, then, presented Council with
>incompatible alternatives, necessitating a wholly unwelcome choice between
>losing our elected editor and losing the institutional agreement with NTU. With
>great reluctance, on November 1st,  Council voted to keep the agreement with
>NTU. 
>
>In the short run, and with the aim of ensuring that the production of JCR
>continues, JCR will continue to be produced by Nottingham Trent University
>(NTU) by a caretaker editorial collective (i.e. without an editor in chief)
>consisting of IACR members nominated by Council. IACR Council members are
>currently discussing how to proceed with the production of JCR in the medium
>term.
> 
>The current state of affairs was not sought or initiated by IACR Council. The
>process that led to the eventual decisions taken by council were not the
>outcome of a coup designed in some way to change the direction or 'leaning' of
>JCR. IACR Council have been, and still are, absolutely committed to promoting
>all shades of critical realist opinion. 
>
>We will notify IACR members and other critical realists of future developments
>in due course.
>
>Berth Danermark
>President of IACR
>
>
>
>     --- from list bhaskar-AT-lists.village.virginia.edu ---

-- 
This e-mail is intended for the named recipient only and may be privileged 
or confidential.  If you are not the intended recipient please notify me 
immediately.

Mervyn Hartwig
13 Spenser Road
Herne Hill
London SE24 ONS
United Kingdom
Tel: 020 7 737 2892
Email: <mh-AT-jaspere.demon.co.uk>

There is another world, but it is in this one.
Paul Eluard




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