Frequently asked questions
About the Newsletter
Reading and Subscribing
The different versions of the Newsletter
Contents
Contributing to the Newsletter
Troubleshooting
Everything else
What if my question is not answered here? [Go to]
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Frequently asked questionsAbout the Newsletter Reading and Subscribing The different versions of the Newsletter Contents Contributing to the Newsletter Troubleshooting Everything else
What if my question is not answered here? [Go to]
|
About the Newsletter
What is the Communist History Network Newsletter?
The Communist History Network Newsletter (CHNN) is a twice-yearly publication covering all aspects of current historical research into the life and work of communists and communist parties across the world. Based in Manchester, the Newsletter has particular interests in communist politics in Britain and other English-speaking countries. The CHNN serves both as a means of contact between researchers working in the area of communist history and as a forum for disseminating the results of new research. The Newsletter includes: reports on conferences, recently completed theses and 'work in progress'; details on new archival findings and other sources; and reviews of new publications in the field.
What are its origins? When was it first published?
The idea of publishing ‘an occasional informal newsletter’ grew from discussions amongst a group of communist historians meeting to plan the February 1996 conference ‘New Findings from the Moscow Archives’. Abstracts and paper summaries from the conference were published in the first issue, see here. It was intended that the Newsletter would help to maintain and inform ‘a loose network of historians of communism’ and encourage co-operation and co-ordination in new research projects.
Who produces the CHNN ?
Currently, the CHNN is jointly edited by , and and is produced with the support of the Politics Section of the School of Social Sciences at Manchester. Richard Cross is responsible for the maintainence of the on-line edition of the Newsletter, which is hosted on the server of the School of Social Sciences within the university.
How often is the CHNN published?
The Newsletter was published between 1996 and 2008, before publication was discontinued to make wasy for the new journal Twentieth Century Communism. Two issues were published in 1996, 1997 and 1998, but only one was produced in 1999. From 2000 the twice-yearly schedule was resumed, although only one issue was produced in 2005, 2007 and 2008.
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When was the Newsletter discontinued?
Publication of the Newsletter ceased in Spring 2008, when the final issue (No 22) was published. The Newsletter was discontinued to make way for a new annually published journal Twentieth Century Communism.
Reading and Subscribing
How is the Newsletter circulated?
The Newsletter is made available in a number of different formats. Up until issue 15, Autumn 2003, three different formats were produced. A print version - circulated to postal subscribers; an email version - distributed to e-subscribers as a file attachment (a Word PC document); and an on-line version is accessible through this website. From issue 16, Spring 2004, a fourth format has been added - pdf (portable document format). Both Word and pdf version of this and future issues can now be downloaded direct from the website, here. Email subscribers now receive notification of the publication of a new issue rather than a copy of the Newsletter as an attachment.
What does it cost to subscribe? How do I subscribe?
Subscription to the e-mail version of the Newsletter is free. To become an e-subscriber, send an e-mail (with the subject line 'Subscribe to CHNN') . Subscribers receive email notification of the publication of each new issue, with instructions on how to download a copy (in either Word or pdf format from the CHNN site. Subscription to the printed version of the Newsletter is also free, but new subscribers are asked to contribute a one-off fee of £10 (ten pounds sterling) towards printing and postage costs. Address details and cheques (made payable to 'The University of Manchester') should be posted to: Communist History Network Newsletter, Kevin Morgan, Politics Section, School of Social Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom, M13 9PL. Access to the on-line version of the Newsletter is free and unrestricted. Complete printable version of issues 1-17 are available on-line, accessible from the 'Printable version of this issue' link visible at the bottom of each article page. From issue 18 onwards, printable versions of each individual article are provided. To see an example of a printable version of a complete issue, click here. Word and pdf versions of recent issues can also be downloaded from here.
Why is the CHNN no longer sent out by email to e-subscribers?
The distribution system for electronic copies of the CHNN was revised in July 2004, with Issue 16. Rather than send a copy of each new issue as an email attachment to all e-subscribers, notification of publication will now be sent out in a plain email which will include a link to the 'download' page on the CHNN website. From the download page subscribers (and website visitors) will be able to choose to download either a Word or a PDF version of the Newsletter to their own machine.
The change has been made for two technical reasons. Firstly, there is the impact of 'spam' protection measures. Many email servers now reject emails with large attachments which appear to have been sent to multiple recipients. As a result, some subscriber copies are being refused by their host's email provider, and have to be re-sent individually. Secondly, there is the problem of out-of-date e-addresses. As the e-subscriber list is only used twice a year, it is inevitable that many out-of-date email addresses are revealed with each CHNN mailing. As each returned email has until now included a copy of the Newsletter there have been bandwidth and capacity issues on the email account used for the e-subscriber mailout.
Sending out a plain-text link to the Newsletter's download page to all e-subscribers, will add only one or two 'clicks' to the process subscribers need go through to access a copy of the CHNN, and will help to minimize the problems outlined above. The new download system also allows subscribers to choose their preferred Newsletter format – either Word or PDF — an option that was not available previously.
The different versions of the Newsletter
Are there any differences between the on-line, on-paper and e-versions of the CHNN?
The electronic and paper versions of the Newsletter are identical. The format and design of both these editions is kept simple, to make reproduction straightforward and to minimize difficulties in accessing the e-mail file attachment. The on-line version of the Newsletter contains essentially the same material as the e-mail and print versions, but is different in three respects:
the on-line version is presented in a more sophisticated design format than the other versions;
the on-line version may, on occasion, contain additional illustrations only available in the web edition of the Newsletter. Where this occurs a note to this effect will be included in the on-paper and e-editions, directing readers with internet access to the web pages in question;
minor alterations have been made to the text of earlier print editions of the Newsletter now accessible on-line, reflecting changes in contact addresses and other factual updates, but these have been kept to a minimum.
How often is the CHNN website updated?
The on-line version of the CHNN was launched in Spring 2001. All existing issues are now available on-line. Major updates to the site will be made twice-yearly, when new editions of the Newsletter are published.
How can I print off pages from the on-line edition?
Visitors to the website are welcome to print off articles from the on-line edition. Should you have any difficulty printing off a particular page or section, click on the link at the bottom of each article marked 'Printable version of the this issue'. This will take you to a version of the issue ideal for printing — a single continuous document, in black and white, with minimal graphics and text formating, set in a narrow width. 'Printable versions' are provided for each issue of the Newsletter, from 1-17. From issue 18 onwards, printable versions of each individual article are provided.To see an example of a 'printable version', click here. Alternatively, download a Word or pdf version of a recent issue from here.
Contents
What sorts of things is the Newsletter interested in? How is its subject area defined?
The CHNN is concerned with research into the history of communists, communist parties and communist movement across the world. Based in the UK, the Newsletter has particular interests in communist politics in Britain and other English-speaking countries.
The Newsletter's areas of interest include the formal 'high politics' of communist organisations (both national and international) and the social and cultural experiences and activities of communists. As a subject area 'communism' is broadly defined to include the major traditions which draw direct inspiration from the 1917 bolshevik revolution — leninism, trotskyism, 'official communism' and their principal variants and offshoots.
Can I search through back copies of the Newsletter on-line to check for articles and references?
There are a number of ways to search the on-line edition of the Newsletter for particular articles or subjects. There is a 'Contents' page for each issue, accessible by clicking on the relevant link on the CHNN homepage. There is also a dedicated 'Search' facility that allows you to check all editions of the Newsletter for particular words and phrases, and access the pages directly from the results, accessible here.
Contributing to the Newsletter
Is the CHNN a 'peer reviewed' or a 'refereed' journal?
The CHNN is not a 'peer reviewed' journal and does not employ 'referees' to review submissions. The Newsletter is intended as a forum for sharing information about current research, describing the results of 'work in progress' and reviewing new publications in the field. The CHNN seeks to encourage informed debate from all perspectives, but functions as a research newsletter rather than a forum for polemical exchanges. The editors take an inclusive approach, and try to make use of all relevant and concise contributions received. However, contributors are encouraged to contact the before beginning work on any piece longer than a few hundred words.
Who contributes to the CHNN?
The pages of the CHNN are open to all researchers involved in work on any aspect of the history of communists and communist parties across the world. A majority of contributions have so far tended to come from academics and students, but submissions from 'non-academic' historians and researchers continue to be actively encouraged.
Are there any guidelines for contributors?
A new CHNN Style Guide is now available online in .pdf format and can be accessed here.
How can I submit an article?
Articles can be submitted in as an e-mail attachment file (preferably in Word for Windows PC format, or in 'plain text' format) sent to the editors, , and . Articles can also be posted, typed or on disc, to: CHNN, Kevin Morgan, Politics Section, School of Social Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom, M13 9PL. Early contact with the editors is encouraged, particularly in respect of longer pieces.
What are the deadlines for submitting an article?
Publication of the Newsletter ceased in Spring 2008, when the newsletter made way for the new journal Twentieth Century Communism.
Troubleshooting
Why does the website look so different on different computers I've used to access it?
The CHNN website makes use of 'Cascading Style Sheets' (CSS). This offers a much simpler and more precise means of controlling (and changing) the appearance of web pages than that offered by standard 'HTML' (the code with which web pages are written). Netscape Communicator 4 and Internet Explorer 4 fully 'support' CSS, however some earlier versions of these (and other) browsers do not. These will ignores the CSS code and revert to the broswer's default way of presenting pages. As a result, the CHNN website may appear differently on different computers. This will have no effect on the content of pages, but may significantly alter their appearance. If you experience any difficulty accessing individual pages, select the 'Printable version' link at the foot of any article page, to view a complete version of each issue ideally formatted for printing.
When I try to print off an article, the text runs off the edge of the paper. Is there a way round this?
The individual article pages are designed for ease of on-screen reading, but are not the optimum design for printing purposes. To print articles, select the 'Printable version of this issue' option from the foot on each individual article page. This will take you to a version of the issue ideal for printing — a single continuous document, in black and white, with minimal graphics and text formating, set in a narrow width. 'Printable versions' are provided all contents of the Newsletter. To see an example of a 'printable version' of an entire issue, click here. Alternatively, download a Word or pdf version of a recent issue from here.
Do I have to print out an issue one article at a time?
To print out an entire issue in one go, select the 'Printable version of this issue' link at the foot of an article page. This will take you to a version of the issue ideal for printing — a single continuous document, in black and white, with minimal graphics and text formating, set in a narrow width. 'Printable versions' are provided for each issue of the Newsletter for issues 1-17. To see an example of a 'printable version', click here. Alternatively, download a Word or pdf version of a recent issue from here. From issue 18 onwards it is possible to select a printable version of individual articles.
Everything else
What if my question is not answered here, or I have a comment or suggestion to make?
If you have a question not covered in these FAQs, or a comment or suggestion to make, please e-mail the CHNN for a reply.
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FAQs last updated: 11 May 2008
