Porn Gets Academic. Finally.

A new academic journal called Porn Studies which will be published by Routledge will be debuting in 2014. I have been reading academic literature on the topic of pornography since 2007, and it seems as if the number of articles published in the area of pornography doubles each year. So, a journal solely dedicated to the study of pornography is long overdue. However, this journal has already sparked some controversy before its first volume even goes live. There is a petition that is circulating to replace the board of editors with a more balanced membership, because the current board is too “pro-porn.” I have very mixed emotions about this new journal and the upheaval surrounding it for four reasons: (1) Having only a pro vs. anti perspective on pornography is extremely un-academic as well as counter-productive for the progression of evidence-based knowledge in this area. (2) It is also extremely un-academic to use colloquialisms in journal titles, such as “porn” instead of “pornography”. This would be comparable to starting a journal about marijuana and calling it Weed Studies. (3) It seems that an editorial board should reflect a multifaceted outlook on the target subject, and not have a collectively homogenous record in research. Yet, (4) I think it is most appropriate to wait until the first volume comes out to see if the editors are truly too biased to publish articles on all outcomes of pornography’s influence on our lives and relationships.