Definition
Daedalus is a quarterly peer‑reviewed academic journal published by the American Academy of Arts and Sciences that features interdisciplinary essays and articles on the arts, humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences.
Overview
First issued in 1955, Daedalus aims to foster dialogue across disciplinary boundaries by presenting scholarly work that addresses broad cultural, intellectual, and scientific issues. Each issue typically contains a mixture of long‑form essays, book reviews, and occasional poetry or artistic contributions. The journal is distributed both in print and digitally, and its archives are accessible through the Academy’s website and major academic databases.
Etymology/Origin
The title Daedalus references the figure from Greek mythology renowned for his ingenuity and craftsmanship. The name reflects the journal’s mission to showcase innovative thinking and the creative synthesis of diverse fields of knowledge.
Characteristics
- Frequency: Quarterly (four issues per year).
- Publisher: American Academy of Arts and Sciences, based in Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA.
- Scope: Interdisciplinary scholarship encompassing the arts, humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences.
- Content Types: Scholarly essays, critical reviews, occasional creative works, and thematic special issues.
- Peer Review: Articles undergo a rigorous editorial and peer‑review process to ensure academic standards.
- Access: Available by subscription; selected articles are open access, and back issues are archived online.
Related Topics
- American Academy of Arts and Sciences
- Interdisciplinary academic publishing
- Other interdisciplinary journals (e.g., Harvard Review, The Atlantic Quarterly)
- History of scholarly journals in the United States
- Greek mythology in modern academic contexts