Last updated – July 2025

Please navigate to our new submission form here: Animation Studies 2.0 Submission Form

Animation Studies 2.0 is an academic blog affiliated with the Society for Animation Studies. It was launched to provide scholars, practitioners, and fans of animation with a more immediate and accessible space to engage with current research and industry developments.

While animation studies as a discipline has grown significantly over the last 25 years, the pace of published research often lags behind the technological and cultural developments in the animation industry. This blog aims to help address those gaps by fostering timely, research-informed dialogue across academic and creative communities.

Our first priority is publishing submissions that respond to our themed calls for posts, which are released every two months. You can find upcoming themes and calls for posts in the “Upcoming Themes” section of the blog and through announcements on the Society for Animation Studies listserv and social media.

We now publish bi-weekly, but we accept submissions throughout the year on a rolling basis. If your piece fits a future theme, it may be held until that theme’s publication window.

We welcome the following types of contributions:

  1. Theoretical reviews of recently completed animated works: scholarly reflections or critiques that explore the aesthetics, politics, or cultural significance of new animated works.
  2. Production-focused reflections from practitioners: posts from animators that examine the rationale, process, and/or creative decisions behind recently completed projects.
  3. Book reviews: critical assessments of recently published books related to animation history, theory, or practice.

Please note:

  • We do not accept unedited theses, course papers, or conference presentations. These may be considered only if substantially revised to fit the tone, length, and audience of the blog.
  • We also do not publish content that has appeared elsewhere or is under review with another publication, unless the research claim is reworked or reframed specifically for Animation Studies 2.0.

All submissions should be research-informed, relevant to the field of animation studies, and accessible to both scholars and practitioners.

Posts should be between 600 and 1000 words.

The tone should be accessible yet grounded in research, with clear references to animation studies scholarship or related fields.

Posts should read like blog-style essays, not academic articles, and avoid excessive jargon.

We aim to publish 2-3 posts per month, including themed series and rolling submissions.

Calls for themed contributions are released every two months via the Society for Animation Studies listserv, the blog website, and social media.

Yes. Contributors are strongly encouraged to include:

  • At least one image
  • Clips or links to video that help illustrate key points

All rights and permissions must be secured by the contributor, and the image caption(s) should contain appropriate credits. Image files and clips cannot exceed 2 MB each.

We recommend author-year referencing styles, like Harvard, APA, Chicago, and consistent is prioritized. Footnotes should be used sparsely.

No. While Animation Studies 2.0 is not a peer-reviewed journal, its format as an academic blog allows for faster publication and broader dissemination of ideas, free from access barriers. Curated by editors affiliated with the Society for Animation Studies, submissions are reviewed for relevance, originality and clarity and are expected to offer a distinct research insight that contributes meaningfully to the field of animation studies.

We do not accept promotional posts or requests for write-ups. However, we encourage reflective pieces by practitioners that critically engage with their own work from a conceptual, aesthetic, or technical perspective.

Yes, we do not request publishing rights. But in line with good research practice, we do expect appropriate referencing to the original blog post indicating which parts are used for the new work. 

  • We accept posts year-round.
  • The editorial team will typically respond within 2-3 weeks.
  • If the piece is submitted for a themed issue, it will be held for publication in the relevant months.

We welcome submissions from:

  • Artists and curators engaging critically with animation
  • Animation scholars and researchers
  • Postgraduate students
  • Animation practitioners and professionals

A strong submission:

  • Reads in a way that is engaging, accessible, and concise
  • Engages with existing animation studies scholarship or current discourse
  • Makes a clear research claim or offers reflective insight
  • Uses examples, visuals, and media to support its argument

Yes! We are open to suggestions for upcoming themed series and collaborations. Please contact the editorial team at blog@animationstudies.org with your proposal.

No, membership is not required to contribute to Animation Studies 2.0.
We are open to submissions from the broader animation studies community, including independent scholars, practitioners, graduate students, and others working at the intersection of animation, research, and practice.

However, we strongly encourage contributors to join the Society for Animation Studies. Membership helps support the continued development of the field and connects you with a vibrant international network of scholars and creators engaged in animation research.

You can find more information about membership on the Society for Animation Studies website.