From time to time, Prometheus organises debates on contentious issues. As a critical
journal, Prometheus takes seriously its responsibility to encourage critical thought and
writing. Its debates allow academics a degree of latitude in the expression of their opinions without the constraints of traditional academic format.
Prometheus debates focus on a proposition paper, the topic and author of which are selected by an editor. The editor then invites informed individuals to respond to the proposition paper. A balanced range of views is sought. The identity of the respondents is known only to the editor during the peer review process. Peer review of the proposition paper and the responses is by Prometheus editors. The whole debate – proposition paper and responses – is published in the same issue. Only then do authors of the proposition paper and the debate papers discover what the other authors have written. The author of the proposition paper has a right of reply.
Recent debate topics include:
- The shaken baby syndrome, a Prometheus debate published by Researchers.One and available at https://www.researchers.one/article/2019-03-3
- The academic publishing industry
- Whatever happened to the university?
- The rhetoric and reality of drugs policy
- Libel laws and academic debate
