The Foreign Service Journal, December 2009

18 F O R E I G N S E R V I C E J O U R N A L / D E C E M B E R 2 0 0 9 H appy holidays! With a new Foreign Service Journal Ed- itorial Board and AFSAGov- erning Board, and a relatively new presidential administration, this seems an especially fitting time to issue our periodic invitation to take advantage of the many opportunities to contribute to the Journal . You’ll find a full set of author guidelines on our Web site (www.afsa.org/fsj ), but here is a basic overview. Each issue of the magazine features a focus section examining various facets of an issue related to the Foreign Service, diplomatic practice or inter- national relations. This month, for in- stance, we assess President Barack Obama’s renewed focus on arms con- trol agreements, and take a look back at how the State Department has car- ried out that function since absorbing the Arms Control and Disarmament Agency a decade ago. Here is a list of the focus topics our Editorial Board has identified for the coming year (subject, of course, to re- vision): Because of our lead time for publi- cation, and the requirement for Edito- rial Board approval, we need to receive submissions at least three months (and preferably longer) prior to the issue’s release date. Thus, we have already lined up authors for the January issue, but there is still time to submit manu- scripts for later months. Submissions should generally be between 2,000 and 3,000 words, though shorter pieces are always welcome. If those choices don’t grab you, or if you feel we have not devoted enough space to a professional concern or functional issue, please consider writ- ing a feature article (also generally 2,000-3,000 words long) for us. We continue to welcome submis- sions for our FS Heritage department, which spotlights past U.S. diplomats (either famous or obscure), as well as issues related to the evolution of the Foreign Service as an institution. Our annual fiction contest contin- ues with the same rules that applied this year. Entrants are restricted to one story of 3,000 words or less, which must be e-mailed to us at journal@ afsa.org no later thanMarch 1. We will publish the winning story (selected by the FSJ Editorial Board) in our July- August 2009 double issue, and the other top stories over the fall months. For more details, see the ad elsewhere in this issue or contact us directly. L ETTER FROM THE E DITOR B Y S TEVEN A LAN H ONLEY 2010 EDITORIAL CALENDAR for the FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL JANUARY Who Will Lead USAID? (cover story) FEBRUARY Life after the Foreign Service (PLUS AFSA Tax Guide) MARCH Iraq & Its Neighbors (PLUS AFSA Annual Report) APRIL Spotlight on Consular Issues MAY Future of the Foreign Service (Diplomacy 3.0, etc.) JUNE FSI/FS Training: What’s New? (PLUS semiannual Schools Supplement) JULY-AUGUST FS Reflections: Tales from the Field (PLUS AFSA Awards coverage) SEPTEMBER How Does MED Measure Up? OCTOBER IBB/VOA & Electronic Diplomacy NOVEMBER In Their Own Write (annual roundup of books by FS-affiliated authors) DECEMBER Emerging Strategic Powers: Indonesia, Turkey, Egypt, South Africa (PLUS semiannual Schools Supplement)