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inquisitive: A quarterly periodical of HxA
Where intellectuals meet to think more deeply about open inquiry, viewpoint diversity, and constructive disagreement in today’s colleges and universities.
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An intellectual magazine published quarterly by Heterodox Academy, inquisitive uses a “small plate” approach to exploring the values of and challenges to open inquiry, viewpoint diversity, and constructive disagreement in higher ed. With compelling art and text, inquisitive functions as a medium where intellectual change-makers meet over uncomfortable questions and great ideas.
Each issue of inquisitive is wrapped around a theme meant to provoke novel takes and insights. In addition to theme-based essays, each issue also features a books column, historical vignettes, a “field guide” to a contested academic discipline, and “Heterodox Life,” first-person takes on life in the modern academy. We invite contributions to inquisitive particularly from graduate students and faculty in higher ed. Find our current call for proposals here.
inquisitive is available online for free. The print edition will be mailed to donors of Heterodox Academy who give at least $120 per year. Please consider making a donation today to protect open inquiry in higher education.
Share your ideas for the upcoming issue of inquisitive.
The future of the university. What campy professional wrestlers can teach academics. The zombie apocalypse as a tool for open inquiry. All this and more in the June 2026 issue on "Camp."
The limits of heterodoxy. Self-imposed limitations on publishing. The need for greater open-mindedness in teaching constitutional law. All this and more in the March 2026 issue on "Limits."
The end of education, and possibly of us. The fruit of uncomfortable ideas. A hero's journey. The upside to censorship. All this plus more fascinating and at times counter-intuitive thinking in the December 2025 issue on "Eve."
Transcendence and revolution. Academia’s “quiet aristocracy.” Higher ed’s haves and have-nots. Heterodoxy and Deaf culture. All this, plus a lot of digging, in the September 2025 issue on “Class.”
Who should hold power over college classrooms, call-outs of bad research, and jarred human remains? What can a pair of dead philosophers tell us about campus battles today, and why should we consider giving in to the AI bots? And what can rats tell us about academic freedom? This and more in inquisitive’s June 2025 issue on the theme of Power.
What are we to make of undisciplined disciplines, the politics of training rural doctors, and an ancient cross-dressing ritual that maybe isn’t about gender? What’s more punishing—a retraction or a recipe for Kung Pao Tofu? And does the First Amendment cover academic freedom? This and more in inquisitive’s March 2025 issue on the theme of Discipline.
How might human nature be thwarting science? What’s the problem with the IRB protection racket? Why might it be easier to teach polyamory in China than here? And why would anyone give up tenure? This and more in inquisitive’s Dec. 2024 issue, The Nerve.