Journal
The Communal Studies Association publishes a scholarly journal twice yearly (spring and fall) containing peer-reviewed articles on communal groups past and present, with an emphasis on those in the United States. Reviews of relevant books and other publications are included. The journal is available as part of a CSA membership, by subscription or from our online store.
The journal Communal Societies is now open source and can be accessed for free by scholars around the world. Go to https://scholarworks.gvsu.edu/communalsocieties/.
Current Call for Papers
CFP: Communal Societies Volume 46:1/2 Theme: Communal History is American History
Deadline: November 15, 2026
Submit articles at: https://scholarworks.gvsu.edu/cgi/submit.cgi?context=communalsocieties
This year, as we gather at the Oneida Community Mansion House for the 2026 Communal Studies Conference, during the American Semiquincentennial, we will be considering the many ways that communalism has contributed to and reflected American history. The editors of the journal recognized that the choice of conference theme this year presents an excellent theme for a double issue of the journal to mark the 250th anniversary of the birth of the United States.
With that in mind we are calling for papers that, in the words of the conference CFP, “may include ways in which communal societies have challenged mainstream American society to live up to the ideals of the founders; how intentional communities were founded as a way to escape the injustice of the American nation; communal living as a form of social protest against government injustice; and ways in which communal groups have looked to the past to inform their new ways of living and being.” Those presenting at the conference can use this as an opportunity to expand their conference presentations into an article length paper for publication. Submissions are not limited to those attending the conference. We would also be interested in communitarian reflections that fit into the theme.
Submission guidelines for articles and reflections may be found on the journal’s open access website.
Any questions may be directed to the journal editors at communalsocieties@gmail.com.
Buy an individual copy
Buy individual copies of the CSA Journals available on our online store.
Subscriptions
Subscribe to the CSA Journal, issued twice yearly.
Seeking Peer-Reviewers
The Communal Studies Association’s journal Communal Societies is in need of qualified peer-reviewers for articles submitted for possible publication. If you are interested in reviewing articles please email us at communalsocieties@gmail.com with your qualifications and areas of scholarly expertise/interest.
Communal Societies is the primary venue for new scholarly research into intentional communities, but it can’t function without qualified peer-reviewers. Please help your up and coming colleagues, as well as veteran friends, as our editors guide their work into print.
Submit an Article
Please send inquiries to Dr. Heather Van Wormer, Journal Editor, at communalsocieties@gmail.com.
Articles may be submitted at this link. Submission guidelines are also on that site.
Submit an item to “Check This Out!” a new feature of the Journal
Media selected for inclusion in Check this Out! address areas of interest within the field of Communal Studies. Entries should briefly summarize the content and assess its significance and interest to the field. The media chosen for this section of the journal are those that are less academic and less directly research related, for example documentaries, podcasts, or utopian/dystopian fiction.
Submission Guidelines for Check This Out!
Book Review Editor
Dr. Cheryl Coulthard
communalsocieties@gmail.com
Author-Title Index PDF
NEW! – Author-Title Index PDF to Communal Societies from Volume 1 through the current Volume 44.1, compiled by Lyman Tower Sargent. It can be downloaded to your computer and searched using the “Find” command on your Adobe Reader program. The CSA thanks Lyman Tower Sargent for this helpful list, which will be updated as new volumes are issued.