By Antoinette Lattouf and Soaliha Iqbal
Quarterly Essay, an award-winning Australian journal published by Schwartz Media, claims to present “the widest range of political, intellectual and cultural opinion” and recently hit its 100th edition milestone. But when Ette Media analysed who the journal publishes, and the topics essayists cover — as well as the topics not covered— the data reveals a far narrower picture.
Quarterly Essay is a prestigious publication that covers topics that include media, economics, the environment and First Nations rights. But the Schwartz Media-owned publication is perhaps best known for its essays on Australian politics and profiles of Prime Ministers and other party leaders.
With four essays a year, as its name suggests, each edition is roughly 25,000 words and is published in the form of a small book, with an editor’s introduction and rebuttals related to previous issues at the end. Over the years, accomplished writers and thinkers have written many sharp, insightful essays.
Quarterly Essay published its 100th edition late last year, celebrating a 25-year milestone. Now with 104 author bylines and up to 102 editions (two essays had joint bylines), such a milestone also prompts a closer look at the journal’s quarter-of-a-century run and who got - or rather didn't get - to be a part of it.
