Report on the Launch of “Siren!”: A Digital Journal for Sustainable Development Goals 5 and 10

Introduction

Four doctoral students from the Annenberg School for Communication—Cienna Davis, Sim Gill, Valentina Proust, and Lucila Rozas—have initiated the launch of Siren!, an open-access digital journal. The platform is dedicated to publishing critical work on communication, media, and activism, with a strong focus on feminist theory and praxis. This initiative directly supports the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals, primarily SDG 5 (Gender Equality) and SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities), by creating a space for voices historically marginalized in dominant media ecosystems.

Inaugural Issue: “Resurfacing Feminist Currents”

Thematic Focus on Reducing Inequalities (SDG 10)

The journal’s first issue, “Resurfacing Feminist Currents,” serves as a direct intervention against the exclusion of feminine, queer, Indigenous, and diasporic narratives in mainstream media. By amplifying these submerged voices and epistemologies, the issue aims to challenge hegemonic structures and contribute to the core mission of SDG 10, which seeks to reduce inequality within and among countries. The journal positions itself as a transnational feminist platform for fostering solidarity, care, and transformative social change, aligning with the broader 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

Core Objectives Aligned with Global Goals

The inaugural issue invites contributions that support the following objectives:

• Promote Gender Equality (SDG 5): Critically examine and celebrate feminist acts of activism, resistance, and cultural intervention that empower women and girls and advance gender equality.
• Foster Inclusive Societies (SDG 16): Reclaim space for marginalized voices to contribute to more just, peaceful, and inclusive societies through critical scholarship and artistic expression.
• Strengthen Global Partnerships (SDG 17): Encourage submissions that explore transnational solidarity networks and collaborative knowledge production to build partnerships for sustainable development.
• Ensure Quality Education (SDG 4): Provide an open-access platform for scholars, artists, and practitioners, particularly those in early career stages, to disseminate knowledge and engage in critical global conversations.

Call for Proposals: Contributing to Research on Equality and Justice

Suggested Areas of Inquiry

Proposals are invited on topics that explore systemic inequalities and pathways toward justice. Suggested themes include, but are not limited to:

• Oral histories and experimental storytelling formats
• Archival practices and counter archives for reparative media
• Memory work and its role in social justice
• Transnational solidarity networks and organizing (contributing to SDG 17)
• Indigenous media practices and knowledge transmissions (contributing to SDG 10)
• Diasporic narratives and cultural preservation
• Collaborative authorship and collective knowledge production
• Soundscapes, audio activism, and voice-centered practices

Submissions are particularly encouraged from early-career scholars, students, and independent intellectuals whose work engages with critical feminist discourses, thereby promoting inclusive participation in academic and public spheres (SDG 4, SDG 10).

Submission Guidelines and Timeline

Proposal Formats

Submissions may be presented in written, multimedia, or hybrid formats. All proposals must align with the journal’s commitment to transnational solidarity and transformative social change.

• Paper: A 250-word abstract for a full analytical essay (3000-5000 words).
• Escalator Paper: A 150-word abstract for a short work-in-progress piece (500-2000 words) to be developed with an expert mentor.
• Multimedia and Hybrid Submissions: A 200-250 word description explaining the piece’s relevance to the issue’s theme.

All proposals must be submitted as a .docx or .pdf file to asc-sirenmagazine@asc.upenn.edu with the subject line “Siren Magazine – Resurfacing” and include a brief author bio (up to 150 words).

Key Dates

1. Abstracts Due: October 30, 2025
2. Notification of Acceptance: November 30, 2025
3. Final Submissions Due: January 30, 2026
4. Peer-Review Process: February-April 2026
5. Projected Publication: May 2026

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

• SDG 5: Gender Equality

  The article directly addresses this goal through the creation of a journal focused on “feminism, media, and activism.” The journal’s mission is to provide a platform for “feminine” voices and to challenge dominant narratives that often exclude them, thereby promoting gender equality in media and academic discourse.

• SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities

  The journal aims to be an “intervention” against the exclusion of marginalized communities. It explicitly seeks to amplify the voices of “feminine, queer, Indigenous, diasporic, and other historically underrepresented and silenced communities,” directly tackling the issue of inequality in representation and participation in public discourse.

• SDG 4: Quality Education

  As an “open-access digital journal,” it promotes equitable access to knowledge. By encouraging submissions from “early-career scholars, graduate and undergraduate students” and offering mentorship through “Escalator Papers,” it contributes to inclusive and equitable quality education and lifelong learning opportunities in academia.

• SDG 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions

  The journal acts as an institution that promotes public access to information and fundamental freedoms. Its focus on “activism, resistance, collaboration, and cultural interventions” and its open-access nature support the goal of creating more just and inclusive societies where diverse voices can be heard.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

• SDG 5: Gender Equality

  • Target 5.5: Ensure women’s full and effective participation and equal opportunities for leadership at all levels of decision-making in political, economic and public life. The journal creates a platform for women and feminists to participate fully and effectively in academic and public discourse, which is a key aspect of public life.
  • Target 5.c: Adopt and strengthen sound policies and enforceable legislation for the promotion of gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls at all levels. By publishing “critical feminist discourses” and work on “transformative social change,” the journal contributes to the body of knowledge and advocacy that can influence and strengthen policies promoting gender equality.

• SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities

  • Target 10.2: By 2030, empower and promote the social, economic and political inclusion of all, irrespective of age, sex, disability, race, ethnicity, origin, religion or economic or other status. The journal’s core mission is to “reclaim space for voices and knowledges pushed to the margins,” specifically amplifying “feminine, queer, Indigenous, diasporic, and other historically underrepresented and silenced communities,” which directly aligns with this target of empowerment and inclusion.
  • Target 10.3: Ensure equal opportunity and reduce inequalities of outcome, including by eliminating discriminatory laws, policies and practices and promoting appropriate legislation, policies and action in this regard. By challenging “dominant cultural narratives” and “entrenched patterns of exclusion,” the journal actively works to reduce inequalities of outcome in media and academic representation.

• SDG 4: Quality Education

  • Target 4.7: By 2030, ensure that all learners acquire the knowledge and skills needed to promote sustainable development, including, among others, through education for… gender equality, promotion of a culture of peace and non-violence, global citizenship and appreciation of cultural diversity. The journal’s content, focusing on “feminism,” “transnational solidarity,” “Indigenous media practices,” and “diasporic narratives,” directly provides education on these very topics.

• SDG 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions

  • Target 16.10: Ensure public access to information and protect fundamental freedoms, in accordance with national legislation and international agreements. The journal’s “open-access” model is a direct implementation of ensuring public access to information. By providing a platform for “submerged voices” and “acts of resistance,” it helps protect the fundamental freedom of expression for marginalized groups.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

• Indicators for SDG 5 & SDG 10

  • Diversity of contributors: The article implies this indicator by encouraging submissions from diverse groups. Progress can be measured by the number and proportion of published works from women, as well as individuals identifying as “queer, Indigenous, diasporic, and other historically underrepresented” communities.
  • Geographic representation: The journal’s aim to publish work “from diverse regions worldwide” suggests that tracking the geographic origin of authors and content is a key metric for its success in promoting global inclusion.

• Indicators for SDG 4

  • Participation of emerging scholars: The specific encouragement for “early-career scholars, graduate and undergraduate students” to submit their work implies an indicator: the number of publications from these groups.
  • Accessibility of knowledge: The journal’s “open-access” status is a direct, measurable indicator of its contribution to providing equitable access to educational resources.
  • Mentorship opportunities: The creation of the “Escalator Paper” format, which pairs authors with an “expert mentor,” is a tangible indicator of the journal’s commitment to fostering educational development.

• Indicators for SDG 16

  • Volume of accessible information: The number of articles and multimedia pieces published in the “open-access digital journal” serves as a direct indicator of the amount of publicly accessible information being created and disseminated.
  • Focus on fundamental freedoms: Progress can be measured by the number of published submissions that “critically examine, celebrate, and creatively engage with acts of activism, resistance, collaboration, and cultural interventions.”

4. SDGs, Targets, and Indicators Table

Source: asc.upenn.edu