Introduction
(Dis)solution is an Australian online and print journal published in Naarm/Melbourne. It is born out of a need for radical, critical thought and expression, particularly from emerging writers, artists and activists which challenges the catastrophic, ecocidal structures of the 21st century.
(Dis)solution creates and publishes work to unravel the knots of injustice in the post-end-of-history Anthropocene(s).
It turns a critical eye to the machinations of exploitation at the intersections of the political, cultural, and ecological, and the crisis and contradiction that follows. (Dis)solution believes in work that analyzes our world without insularity, work that informs our everyday-political movement through the eroding topographies of the 21st century—not merely to understand it, but to change it.
Two issues of the magazine have been released in print, with all written pieces also available for free online.
Access the website and purchase the print magazine.
Follow at @dissolutionmag
Volumes
(Dis)solution Volume 1: (Dis)topia Australis
But what is this thing called Australia? Is it an occupation; a prison; a fair dinkum, have-a-go-get-a-go democracy; a site of resource extraction or a dumping ground of waste? Is it a Sunburnt Country, a lucky one, even? Or an outpost of the British, then American, empires; or is it far more?
‘Australia’ has held many meanings over its colonial history: a series of illusory narratives, weaponized for wealth and power; a mythic portrayal of mateship and prosperity, the veil far too thin to hide legacies of bloodshed and violence. When so deeply rooted in injustice and destruction, what hope remains for this land, and those who inhabit it?
There is no singularity, and herein we find our hope. The conditions of our dystopia are equally the substratum for our utopia, and the multiplicities of this continent reveal both. The future is never decided, but forever contested.
(Dis)solution Volume 2: Geographies of Collapse
Our century appears certain to be one of endings—of collapse. Whether it’s our ecosystems, ruling ideologies, cultural norms, political and economic modes of organization, human habitats, or the foundations of society as we know them, things are changing profoundly and precipitously. It has become clear: things can remain the same no longer.
This issue looks at the shifting sands of the 21st century: the continuation and acceleration of social and ecological crises, and the ways they will unravel unevenly across the world and our lives. It will investigate the social, (geo-)political, and existential implications of crisis and collapse; what will endure and what will perish?
Interested in writing for (Dis)solution?
We want work that’s urgent, that recognizes and acts on the present. We’re interested in writing that is unique and impactful, that strives for clarity, impact, and relevance without dry prose and conventions—writing with personality and energy that speaks to the challenges and possibilities of justice in our time.
Our work emphasises not just thought, but action; not just think pieces, but do pieces. We are committed to moving with intention and urgency. (Dis)solution hopes to aid us in this mission: to distinguish the false solutions—of which there are no shortage—from the genuine ones, and to dissolve what no longer serves us.
Each print edition will involve a call for writing around a specific theme. In addition, we publish online-only pieces dealing with any thoughts that fit into the descriptions above. Send submissions to [email protected]