[act-ma] Spring and Summer 2009 Internships available at South End Press

[Asha Tall]

SOUTH END PRESS SPRING AND SUMMER 2009 INTERNSHIPS AVAILABLE

 

On the Press

South End Press is an independent, nonprofit, collectively-run book
publisher with more than 250 titles in print. Since our founding in
1977, South End Press has met the needs of readers who are exploring, or
are already committed to, the politics of radical social change. Our
goal is to publish books that encourage critical thinking and
constructive action on the key political, cultural, social, economic,
and ecological issues shaping life in the United States and in the
world. In this way, we hope to provide a forum for a wide variety of
democratic social movements, and provide an alternative to the products
and practices of corporate publishing. 

 

>From its inception, the Press organized itself as an egalitarian
collective with decision-making arranged to share the rewards and
stresses of running the business as equally as possible. Each collective
member is responsible for core editorial and business tasks, and all
collective members earn the same base salary. The Press also has made a
practice of inverting the pervasive racial and gender hierarchies in
traditional publishing houses; our staff has been majority women since
the mid-1980s, and has included at least 50 percent people of color
since the mid-1990s. Our author list-which includes, Arundhati Roy, bell
hooks, Winona LaDuke, Noam Chomsky, Cherrie Moraga, Manning Marable,
Ward Churchill, and Howard Zinn-reflects the Press's commitment to
publish on diverse issues from diverse perspectives. 

 

South End Press publishes about twelve books annually in a variety
activist and political fields including anti-racist organizing, history,
law, current events, African American, Native American, Asian American,
Latin American, and Latino Studies, ecology, economics, immigration, gay
and lesbian issues, and women's studies. 

 

Internship Program

The primary purpose of the South End Press internship program is to
provide the intern with experience in a balanced diversity of publishing
tasks from clerical work to editorial decision-making. Interns
participate in the bi-monthly editorial meetings of the SEP collective.
In preparation for these meetings they are expected to read manuscripts
submissions and organize their opinions of these works. Interns maintain
the manuscript submissions database, draft correspondence regarding
editorial submissions, and research content and marketing aspects of
book proposals and contracted books. 

 

There is flexibility in the structuring of other aspects of the
internship. Both the intern's interests and the needs of the collective
are considered. Interns provide support on routine responsibilities such
as data entry, phone and email reception, and filing. Often interns also
take responsibility for other aspects of promotional campaigns or book
production. Writing experience, organizational and office management
skills, and familiarity with various computer systems would be needed
for these tasks. South End Press is organized as a worker's collective
where drudgery and creativity are shared as equally as possible. Our
work environment is supportive and friendly, if at times stressful. Good
communication skills and initiative are important for a successful
internship at South End Press.

 

Depending on our organizational needs and an intern's previous work
experience, an intern may work in our promotions, production, finances,
or acquisitions departments. In the past, interns have reviewed
submissions for publication, conducted marketing research, devised
community outreach strategies, proofread, researched, fact checked
manuscripts, and assisted editors on special projects.

 




Candidates should have some interest and experience in one or more of
these areas in which we publish. Candidates interested in a specific
business area (promotions, production, finances, editorial) should state
their interest and share any relevant previous experience. Please also
highlight any special talents in book-related areas including graphic
design and bookstore experience and include background on your political
and activist involvement.  

 

Internships require a commitment to a minimum of 16 hours per week for a
three-month period or full-time for one month. South End Press accepts
applications from prospective interns on a rolling basis. We regret that
we cannot pay a stipend to interns, although we can reimburse interns
for their use of public transportation to the office from within the
Boston metro area (the Press is located in Central Square on the Red
Line in Cambridge, MA). We are happy to fulfill any role necessary to
facilitate academic credit for the internship. Interns also have the
opportunity to participate in weekly supervision meetings and to discuss
the many facets of independent publishing with any and all collective
members.

 

Interested in applying?

Please email or send cover letter, resume, and three references with
email contact information to 

 

Asha Tall

South End Press

7 Brookline Street, Suite 1

Cambridge, MA 02139

 

 asha at southendpress.org

 

 

 

 

Asha Tall, Editor/Publisher

South End Press, 7 Brookline Street, Suite 1, Cambridge, MA  02139

617.547.4002 (office)  617.547.1333 (fax) www.southendpress.org

 

Our movement to grow  <http://www.southendpress.org/2006/items/80129>
Community Supported Publishing (CSP) is off to a great start. Please
consider joining us if you haven't already, and ask your friends to do
the same  <http://www.southendpress.org/2006/items/80129> here. We
appreciate your help in sustaining radical alternative media!

 

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