Griffith Review 82: Animal Magic

Whether it’s man’s best friend or the king of the jungle, animals occupy a central place in our social, emotional and cultural lives. We’re happy as clams or pigs in mud; we hold our horses or take a lion’s share of what we want; we avoid the elephant in the room or try not to open a can of worms.

This edition of Griffith Review visits habitats near and far, wild and domestic – the backyard and the dog park, the jungle and the desert, the field and the farm – to examine our complex interactions with creatures furry or scaled, four-legged or eight-limbed, winged or feathered. How has the human–animal bond evolved over the centuries? Is it ethical to have a pet? Why are so many of us averse to insects when their extinction would spell the end of life on Earth? And what truly separates us from the creatures we share the planet with? Griffith Review 82: Animal Magic lets the cat out of the bag to answer all these questions and more.

Things for you to note:
* We're looking for non-fiction that responds to the theme – we're not accepting fiction submissions for this edition.
* We'd prefer pieces that are no longer than 4,000 words (they can, of course, be much shorter than this).
* Attention poets! We'll be opening a separate poetry call-out on 24 July – keep an eye on our social media and newsletter for more details soon.
* We'll let you know the outcome of your submission within eight weeks of the call-out closing date.

Full submissions only – no pitches, please.
Submissions close: 11:59 pm AEST, 9 July 2023
Publication date: 7 November 2023