No, you are not imagining things; NACLA has undergone an extreme makeover (although we chose long-time Naclista and graphic designer Tory Ettlinger of Ettlinger Design over Oprah Winfrey to do the job). It is a time of dramatic global shifts and NACLA is not immune to the call for change.
Our first newsletter appeared in February 1967 and was the embryo of the current NACLA Report on the Americas. In its 37-year history, the publication has evolved from an eight-page activist newsletter reproduced on a mimeograph machine to a 48-page professionally designed magazine that is the most widely read English-language publication on Latin America. Founded by university students and activists, NACLA has always been and remains a hybrid information source, weaving together the threads of activism, academia and journalism.
As detailed in our 35th anniversary issue, NACLA’s shifting content over the years has reflected the various struggles and debates on the left regarding Latin America and the Caribbean with a particularly critical eye on related U.S. policy. The broader goal has always been to contribute to the struggle for social and economic justice in the region. Over the years, not only has the aesthetic face of the publication changed, our readership has also reconstituted itself, as shifting realities have demanded new forms of political engagement. At present, globalization in all its forms continues to challenge traditional theoretical and practical approaches to social change. In future issues we will continue to engage with this reality.
Over the last months, we have added new sections and redesigned the magazine, but Naclistas need not worry; this does not reflect an overall shift in orientation. We maintain our commitment to producing a quality report section featuring a variety of perspectives on a specific theme. In recent months we have added two new sections to the magazine: “¡YA!,” which highlights youth activism, and “Tracking the Economy,” which provides concise economic analyses of pertinent issues. In our redesign we have introduced more white space and friendlier fonts, making the magazine easier to read while keeping the content rigorous and informative.
NACLA’s makeover extends to our Web site where you will notice both design and content changes over the next few months. Overall, the site will be more dynamic, streamlined, user-friendly and will offer more free content. All NACLA subscribers now have full access to archived back issues as a subscription privilege. Keep your eyes open for the supplemental “Report Extras” for each issue, which will include more report-related articles and a resource page with additional information, references and contacts related to each report theme. There will also be other free supplementary articles and an “In Focus” section—a periodic news digest on a particularly “hot” news topic—and the site will be more visually stimulating with more photos.
Coinciding with these changes to the magazine and Web site, NACLA is very pleased to welcome aboard our new editor, Marshall Beck. Marshall has spent many years at the heart of debate in the Center for Research on Latin America and the Caribbean (CERLAC) at York University in Toronto, Canada. Marshall brings a breadth of experience in region-related work and a long-term commitment to social justice issues. NACLA would also like to thank outgoing interim editor Garry Leech for his contribution to the last four report issues and for his ongoing dedication to NACLA. Garry will be returning to his work as an investigative journalist, writer and researcher.
In order to continue improving our magazine, we plan to find out more about the views and opinions of our readers, so keep an eye open for our upcoming reader survey. Meanwhile, we hope you enjoy NACLA’s newest offerings.
From all of us at NACLA, many thanks to Tory Ettlinger for her creativity and patience!
