About
Negotiating Ideas was initially established as a podcast in 2022, later expanding into an online bilingual English and Farsi magazine. It aspires to become an intellectual community of free thinkers striving for a free society. Negotiating Ideas creates a space for those who value pluralism, democracy, and liberty to find each other and develop solidarity and clarity. As its name suggests, Negotiating Ideas is a platform for ideas to converse. The name of the magazine is inspired by the book Negotiating Cultural Diversity.
Why Negotiating Ideas?
At times when democracy and pluralism are under persistent threat—not only from authoritarian states, but also from disinformation, radicalism, terrorism, and populism—it is important to create alternative spaces to better understand forms of authoritarianism and ways to defend the idea of pluralism and rights. Some may call these times an ‘age of anger,’ while others may call it ‘being enveloped in a kind of pessimism.’ These terms are provocative, they nonetheless reflect a melancholic understanding of the current world. Pessimism is also due to pluralists’ inability to actively formulate and defend the values of a free society.
Negotiating Ideas aims to address the above challenge.
Join Us
The magazine and podcast invite academics, public intellectuals, and other thought leaders to join us in discussing ideas in the realms of political reform, constitutionalism, secularism, democracy, social movement, rights, and pluralism. You can also join our team as a contributing editor, podcast producer, or research associate.
Submissions
We welcome ideas for potential topics and podcast guests and invite you to share your suggestions with us at info@negotiatingideas.com. As pluralism is the defining value of Negotiating Ideas, we expect the pitches to observe tolerance, civility, and mutual respect. We cherish diversity of opinion, ideas, and cultures in a way that does not eschew the possibility of a peaceful existence in a civil and free society.
- We accept standard op-eds, but we are also interested in longer analytical pieces of 2,000 to 2,500 words that delve deeper into the subject matter.
- Please include a short bio of no more than three lines along with a profile picture.
- For the longer piece, please add your sources as a footnote in Harvard style.
We are grateful to all who tune in to our podcast and look forward to further engagements.
Team
Omar Sadr
founder and editor-in-chief