The theme for the Winter 2026 issue of Oregon Humanities magazine is “Consume.” We’re looking for stories about food and drink, buying and selling, waste and conservation.
In this issue, we hope to explore acts of consumption—buying, eating, and using—as well as histories, ideas, and cultural practices related to consumption. Explore retail therapy, table manners, the food web, production chains, debt and bankruptcy, or the role of fire in Oregon ecosystems
How do cultural trends and environmental conditions affect the way we eat? What do our possessions say about us? Is it possible to make ethical choices as a consumer? Are there lessons from the past, or from art and fiction, about how we might consume less, or better?
We welcome all forms of nonfiction writing, including essays, journalism, criticism, and excerpts from forthcoming or recently published books. Successful submissions will reflect our vision of an Oregon that invites diverse perspectives, invites challenging questions, and strives for just communities. We encourage submissions from writers of all levels of experience.
We encourage stories created with or by communities—classrooms, neighborhoods, congregations, or any other group with shared interests and experiences. Some examples follow:
- “Borrowed Kitchens and Conference Rooms,” an exploration of the shortage of community spaces in East Portland
- “We Contain Multitudes,” a story about the experiences of international and BIPOC adoptees, featuring many voices
- “The Power of Community Spaces,” a profile of what one space means for a small Oregon community
- “My Heart Belongs Where the Trees Are,” a story about Black communities in Eastern Oregon
- “What They Carried,” stories of refugees told through objects
Please send drafts of personal essays, which should push beyond simple narrative and consider larger thematic questions. If you’re pitching a journalistic or researched piece, please send a proposal, links to your clips, if any, and tell us why you’re the person to write this story. Features generally range between 1,500 and 4,000 words. All contributors are paid between $750 and $1,500, depending on the length and complexity of the piece. Currently the magazine is distributed free to 14,000 readers. Work from Oregon Humanities has been reprinted in textbooks, the Pushcart Prize anthology, Utne Reader, High Country News, and Best American Essays, and featured on public radio programs Think Out Loud, State of Wonder, and This American Life.
If you are interested in contributing to this issue, please read past issues and the guidelines for writers. Please note that we only accept work by writers who reside in Oregon, though no proof of residence is required. Then, submit one proposal or one draft by August 11 to editors@oregonhumanities.org.
Upcoming Magazine Themes
- Spring 2026: Labor (April 2026, submissions due December 2025)