La Rivista | Theory and Criticism of Literature and Arts

Theory and Criticism of Literature and Arts

Theory and Criticism of Literature and Arts (ISSN digital: 2297-1874; ISSN print: 2504-2238) is an academic, peer-reviewed open access journal founded in 2016 and based in Paris. The journal is published by the Éditions Pigouchet, the scholarly publishing imprint of OProM (Organisation pour la Protection des Manuscrits Médiévaux). The journal's editorial office is hosted and coordinated by the Research Centre for European Philological Tradition, in collaboration with the Institut d'Estudis Filològics Dantescs i Digitals Avançats (ISFiDa), Catalonia, Spain.

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Currently, Theory and Criticism of Literature and Arts operates under a Diamond Open Access model, with no fees for authors or readers. The journal is evaluating the possibility of introducing modest Article Processing Charges (APCs) in the future to support operational costs. Any such changes will be communicated transparently to authors and readers. Editorial decisions are made independently of financial considerations. Should APCs be introduced, waiver policies will be available for authors without institutional or grant funding. A printed version is available on demand.

The journal focuses on theoretical and empirical research in the humanities, with special emphasis on philology, literature, visual arts, music, and digital humanities. It welcomes contributions from scholars in different disciplines, aiming to publish high-quality research in an international academic context. The journal’s readership includes scholars, researchers, and professionals in literature, arts, and digital humanities, as well as advanced students interested in interdisciplinary studies.

The journal’s title pays homage to Teoria e Critica, an academic periodical co-founded in Rome in 1971 by Prof. Luciano Rossi.

ISSN Display

Print ISSN: 2504-2238
Digital ISSN: 2297-1874
Both ISSNs are clearly displayed to ensure proper indexing and identification of the journal in bibliographic databases.

Visit the ISSN Portal: https://portal.issn.org/resource/ISSN/2297-1874?search_id=748076cb-b7d7-48f6-9723-38d3c17b7dca

Instructions for Authors

1. Scope of the Journal

Theory and Criticism of Literature and Arts (TCLA) welcomes original scholarly contributions in the humanities, with particular emphasis on philology, literature, visual arts, musicology, manuscript studies, cultural heritage and digital humanities. Interdisciplinary and comparative approaches are especially encouraged.

2. Languages

TCLA accepts submissions in:

English;
French;
Italian;
Spanish.

Manuscripts must be linguistically accurate and written in a clear academic style. Authors who are not native speakers are encouraged to have their manuscripts professionally revised before submission.

3. Types and Length of Contributions

Research articles should normally be between 5,000 and 10,000 words, including footnotes and bibliography.

The journal may also consider:

shorter research notes;
critical editions and textual studies;
review essays;
book reviews;
responses and scholarly discussions.

Authors wishing to submit contributions of a different length or format should contact the Editorial Office in advance.

4. Submission Procedure

Manuscripts must be submitted electronically to:

info@tcla-journal.eu

The email should include:

title of the contribution;
author’s full name;
academic title and institutional affiliation;
institutional email address;
ORCID identifier, where available;
abstract in English;
five keywords in English;
a brief biographical note.

The manuscript must be submitted in Microsoft Word format. A PDF version may also be enclosed when the article contains special characters, complex formatting, tables or images.

5. Anonymisation

TCLA applies a double-blind peer review procedure. Authors must therefore submit:

a title page containing their name, affiliation, contact details, ORCID and biographical note;
an anonymised manuscript from which all information identifying the author has been removed.

References to the author’s previous publications should be written in a manner that does not disclose authorship during the review process.

6. Abstract and Keywords

Every research article must include:

an English-language title;
an abstract in English of approximately 150–250 words;
five keywords in English.

If the article is written in a language other than English, the title and abstract should also be supplied in the language of the article.

7. Manuscript Preparation

Manuscripts should be submitted in a clear and consistent format.

Use Unicode characters for non-Latin alphabets and special philological signs.
Divide the article into clearly identified sections where appropriate.
Number tables and figures consecutively.
Indicate the preferred position of illustrations within the text.
Use footnotes rather than endnotes.
Include a complete bibliography at the end of the article.
Provide stable URLs and DOI identifiers whenever available.

Authors may follow the bibliographical conventions customary in their discipline, provided that the chosen system is applied consistently throughout the manuscript. The Editorial Office may adapt references and formatting to the journal’s house style during production.

8. Images and Copyright Permissions

Authors are responsible for obtaining permission to reproduce images, manuscripts, artworks, tables or other protected material.

Each illustration must be accompanied by:

figure number;
complete caption;
author or artist;
title or description;
date;
holding institution and shelf mark or inventory number;
copyright statement or licence;
image credit.

Images should be supplied as separate high-resolution files, preferably in TIFF or JPEG format. Submission of an image implies that the author possesses the necessary rights for its publication in both digital and printed form.

9. Originality and Multiple Submissions

Submissions must be original, unpublished and not under consideration by another journal or publisher.

Authors must disclose any substantial overlap with previously published or forthcoming work. Simultaneous submission to more than one journal is not permitted.

Plagiarism, self-plagiarism, fabrication, falsification and redundant publication may result in rejection or retraction.

10. Peer Review

All research articles undergo double-blind peer review. Each manuscript is normally evaluated by at least two independent specialists.

The assessment considers:

originality;
scholarly relevance;
methodological soundness;
knowledge of the relevant bibliography;
clarity of argument;
relevance to the journal’s scope.

The review process normally takes between two and four weeks, although complex or highly specialised submissions may require more time.

The possible decisions are:

acceptance;
acceptance subject to minor revisions;
invitation to revise and resubmit;
rejection.

Acceptance is never guaranteed, and TCLA does not offer fast-track publication.

11. Special Issues

Articles submitted to thematic or special issues are subject to the same scientific standards and peer review procedure as articles submitted to regular issues.

Guest editors operate under the supervision of the Editor-in-Chief and the permanent Scientific Board. Contributions written by guest editors or members of the editorial board are assigned to independent editors and reviewers.

12. Generative Artificial Intelligence

TCLA does not accept manuscripts generated by artificial intelligence tools.

AI-based tools may be used for limited linguistic assistance, translation support or formatting. Any substantial use must be disclosed when the manuscript is submitted. Authors remain entirely responsible for the accuracy, originality, references and arguments contained in their work.

Artificial intelligence tools cannot be credited as authors or cited as scholarly sources.

13. Conflicts of Interest

Authors must disclose any financial, professional, institutional or personal relationship that could influence—or reasonably appear to influence—the submitted work.

Editors and reviewers are likewise required to declare conflicts of interest and to withdraw from the evaluation when their independence may be compromised.

14. Research Ethics

Authors must comply with the ethical standards applicable to their discipline. Where relevant, submissions must indicate:

approval by an ethics committee;
informed consent;
provenance and lawful use of archival or cultural materials;
authorisation to reproduce protected or sensitive material;
funding sources;
relevant institutional permissions.

15. Open Access and Author Charges

Regular issues of TCLA are published according to a Diamond Open Access model. Authors are not charged submission fees, editorial processing fees or Article Processing Charges for articles published in regular issues.

Selected thematic or special issues scheduled from 2027 may apply modest Article Processing Charges to support editorial and production costs. Any applicable charge and the corresponding waiver policy will be stated clearly in the relevant Call for Papers before submission.

Editorial decisions are made independently of financial considerations.

16. Copyright and Licence

Authors retain the copyright of their articles and grant TCLA the right of first publication.

Articles are distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International Licence (CC BY-NC 4.0). This licence permits readers to share and adapt the work for non-commercial purposes, provided that appropriate attribution is given.

17. Self-Archiving

Authors may deposit:

the submitted preprint;
the accepted manuscript;
the published Version of Record.

Deposits may be made in institutional, disciplinary or personal repositories without an embargo, provided that the published version is correctly cited and linked.

18. Corrections and Retractions

Authors must inform the Editorial Office promptly if they discover a significant error in a submitted or published contribution.

TCLA may publish corrections, expressions of concern or retractions when necessary to preserve the integrity of the scholarly record.

19. Author Copies

Authors receive a digital copy of their published article. Printed copies or complete printed issues may be purchased on request, subject to production and delivery costs.

20. Contact

Editorial Office
Theory and Criticism of Literature and Arts
Éditions Pigouchet
Organisation pour la Protection des Manuscrits Médiévaux – OProM

Email: info@tcla-journal.eu

About the Journal

Aims & Scope

Theory and Criticism of Literature and Arts focuses on theoretical and empirical research in the humanities, with particular emphasis on philology, literature, visual arts, music, and digital humanities. The journal welcomes contributions from scholars in various disciplines, aiming to publish high-quality research in an international academic context. The intended readership includes academics, researchers, and professionals interested in interdisciplinary approaches to literary and artistic criticism.

Editorial Policy and Board

Theory and Criticism of Literature and Arts combines a stable Scientific Board with thematic Guest Editorial Boards for specific issues and special issues.

The permanent Scientific Board oversees the overall academic standards and strategic direction of the journal:

TCLA Scientific Board 2026

Prof. Maria Grazia Bonanno, Università di Roma «Tor Vergata», Italy
Prof. Romeo Bufalo, Università della Calabria, Italy
Prof. Philippe Guérin, Université Sorbonne Nouvelle – Paris 3, France
Prof. Lucia Lazzerini, Università degli Studi di Firenze, Italy
Prof. Leena Löfstedt, Universities of Jyväskylä and Helsinki, Finland
Prof. Raffaele Pinto, Universitat de Barcelona, Spain
Prof. Lucinia Speciale, Università del Salento, Italy

In addition, each issue or special issue is managed by a dedicated Guest Editorial Board composed of scholars with specific expertise in the thematic focus of that issue. The names and affiliations of Guest Editors are published within each volume and are available online alongside the respective issue.

This editorial structure ensures scientific rigour, thematic relevance, and international diversity of contributors and reviewers.

Editorial Management
Editor-in-Chief: Prof. Carla Rossi, Institut d’Estudis Filològics Dantescs i Digitals Avançats (ISFiDa), Barcelona, Spain
Journal contact: info@tcla-journal.eu

Peer Review Process

All submissions undergo a rigorous double-blind peer review process. Each manuscript is evaluated by at least two anonymous reviewers who are experts in the relevant field. The review process typically takes between 2 and 4 weeks. Criteria for acceptance include originality, scholarly contribution, methodological soundness, and relevance to the journal’s scope. The journal does not guarantee acceptance or fast-track peer review under any circumstances.

Policy on Generative AI

Theory and Criticism of Literature and Arts does not accept manuscripts generated by artificial intelligence tools. Authors may use AI-based tools for language support, provided that they clearly disclose such use. All editorial decisions, the peer review process, and final approvals remain under human oversight to ensure the integrity and originality of the published content.

Plagiarism Screening Policy

Theory and Criticism of Literature and Arts applies a strict plagiarism screening policy. All submitted manuscripts are checked using plagiarism detection software and manual review to ensure originality. Any manuscript found to contain plagiarized content will be rejected.

Open Access Policy and Licensing

Theory and Criticism of Literature and Arts is currently a Diamond Open Access journal. All articles are freely available without subscription fees, and no Article Processing Charges (APCs) are requested from authors. Starting from the Special Issues scheduled for 2027, the journal plans to adopt a Gold Open Access model for these thematic issues. This means that modest APCs may be introduced for articles published within Special Issues, in order to support editorial and operational costs. Regular issues will remain Diamond Open Access and free of charge for authors.

The journal publishes under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License (CC BY-NC 4.0), allowing readers to share and adapt the content for non-commercial purposes, with appropriate attribution.

Policy on Article Depositing

Authors may deposit preprints anywhere. Accepted manuscripts may be deposited in repositories with appropriate citation. The Version of Record may be deposited according to the terms of the Creative Commons license under which the article is published.

Digital Preservation

The journal deposits its issues and individual articles in Zenodo, where they receive persistent identifiers and remain freely accessible. Additional preservation copies are maintained by ISFiDa, ensuring long-term accessibility and preservation of scholarly records. Each issue is freely accessible through the official website, as well as on Google Play and Google Books for wider dissemination.

Theory and Criticism of Literature and Arts is indexed or listed in several international academic directories and bibliographic databases, including:

BnF (Catalogue général)
WorldCat (global library catalogue)
OpenAire (Open Access Infrastructure for Research in Europe)
ROAD (Directory of Open Access scholarly Resources)
HAL (Hyper Articles en Ligne, France)
Mir@bel (Portal for academic open access journals)
OpenAlex (Open Scholarly Graph)
Humanities Commons (Scholarly communication network)

The journal is committed to pursuing inclusion in leading abstracting and indexing databases to enhance visibility and impact.

Frequency of Publication

The journal publishes normally two issues per year: a Spring issue (February–April) and a Summer issue (June–August). Special issues may be published in addition to regular issues. However, exceptional circumstances have occasionally affected this schedule. No issue was published in 2020 due to the global COVID-19 pandemic. In 2022, only one issue was released, as the editorial team focused entirely on an extensive research project carried out by the Disiecta Coegi group, dedicated to the digital and scholarly reconstruction of twelve dismembered medieval manuscripts. All research articles, including those published in Special Issues, are made available online in full text and without embargo.

Multiple Submissions and Redundant Publications

The journal does not accept simultaneous submissions to multiple journals or redundant publications. Authors must confirm that their manuscript is original, has not been published elsewhere, and is not under consideration by another journal.

Publication Ethics

Theory and Criticism of Literature and Arts follows high standards of publication ethics.

Authorship and Contributorship: Authors must have substantially contributed to the research and writing of the manuscript. All contributors must be appropriately acknowledged.
Complaints and Appeals: Authors may appeal editorial decisions or lodge complaints by writing to the Editor-in-Chief, who will handle them confidentially and in accordance with COPE guidelines.
Conflicts of Interest: Authors, reviewers, and editors must declare any conflicts of interest that could influence their work.
Data Sharing and Reproducibility: Authors are encouraged to share data supporting their findings where possible, in compliance with ethical standards.
Ethical Oversight: The journal adheres to COPE guidelines and expects authors to follow ethical practices in research, including approval by relevant ethics committees where applicable.
Intellectual Property: Authors retain copyright under a Creative Commons license but must ensure they have rights to all materials used.
Post-Publication Corrections: The journal will issue corrections, retractions, or updates as needed to maintain the integrity of the scholarly record.
Multiple Submissions: The journal does not accept redundant publications or manuscripts submitted elsewhere.

The journal operates under a Diamond Open Access model and is currently funded by Éditions Pigouchet and the Organisation pour la Protection des Manuscrits Médiévaux (OProM). No revenue is generated from author fees. Future introduction of modest APCs for Special Issues is under evaluation. Editorial decisions are independent of any financial considerations.

Advertising Policy

Theory and Criticism of Literature and Arts does not accept advertising under any circumstances. No commercial influence is permitted in editorial decisions or published content.

Direct Marketing

Theory and Criticism of Literature and Arts strictly avoids any form of unsolicited, aggressive, or misleading marketing. The journal categorically rejects predatory practices and guarantees that its editorial process is entirely independent of commercial motives.

Corrections, Retractions, and Updates

The journal follows COPE guidelines for handling corrections, retractions, and updates. If significant errors are discovered after publication, the editorial team will issue corrections, retractions, or updates as necessary to maintain the integrity of the scholarly record.

Post-Publication Discussion

The journal welcomes post-publication comments, letters, and discussions related to published articles. Readers may contact the editorial team to propose responses, commentaries, or discussions, which may be considered for publication.

COPE Statement

Theory and Criticism of Literature and Arts adheres to the principles and guidelines of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) and is committed to maintaining the highest ethical standards in scholarly publishing.

Copyright Policy
Authors retain the copyright of their articles. By publishing in TCLA, authors grant the journal the right of first publication. All articles are distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License (CC BY-NC 4.0).

Editorial Board Contacts

Publisher Address
Theory and Criticism of Literature and Arts
c/o Organisation pour la Protection des Manuscrits Médiévaux (OProM)

66 Av. des Champs-Élysées

75008 Paris, France

Editorial Office and Management
Theory and Criticism of Literature and Arts
c/o ISFiDa/RECEPTIO
Calle Major, 66, baixos
08461 Sant Esteve de Palautordera
Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain

Governing Law and Jurisdiction

These Terms and Conditions, as well as any contractual or non-contractual disputes arising out of or in connection with the services provided by the journal Theory and Criticism of Literature and Arts shall be governed by and construed in accordance with French law.

The journal is published by Éditions Pigouchet, the scholarly publishing imprint of the Organisation pour la Protection des Manuscrits Médiévaux (OProM), Paris, France.

Any dispute relating to the interpretation, performance or validity of these Terms and Conditions shall fall under the exclusive jurisdiction of the competent courts of Paris, France.

If the user qualifies as a consumer under applicable European Union law, mandatory consumer protection provisions of the country of habitual residence shall remain unaffected.

Social

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/theory-and-criticism-of-literature-and-arts-journal/posts
Academia.edu: https://isfida.academia.edu/TheoryandCriticismofLiteratureandArts

Links to individual issues are listed below (the only interruption in publication occurred in 2020 due to the pandemic):