Manifesto in becoming
We are a collective of writers and journalists based in Italy and the UK, committed to bringing you news and analysis from the different corners of the world.
Our journalism aims to challenge our readers to question their beliefs and the way they see the world. We want our writers to do the same.
In the era of fake news and of polarised opinions, we want to provide a space for a practice of slow and reflective writing and journalism, one that is able to hold the tension between different and conflicting points of view in a spirit of dialogue.
We have more questions than answers, this is why we write. We know our starting point, but not our destination: hence a manifesto in becoming. We will make changes and improvements as needed to ensure we keep going in the right direction.
Our promise to our readers is to abide by the following principles at all times:
Participatory journalism
Our practice is based on the idea of participatory journalism. Our writing and news reporting are in service of those who have a story to tell. We welcome the opportunity to talk to anyone who wants to share a news or a story with us.
Neutrality is a myth
We don’t believe it is possible to achieve neutrality in writing and journalism. We recognise that all stories are influenced by the point of view and the social positioning of those who tell them.
Writing and news reporting as a practice of change
We believe that high-quality writing and news reporting must empower readers to contribute to the changes they wish to see in society.
Collaboration
We believe that the subject’s voice must be central in the telling of a story. We will strive to hold ourselves to account in our writing and journalism, and will work to reduce the power imbalance between those who write and those who share their story.
Critical thinking
We will apply the principles of critical thinking to our work. We will question our beliefs and explore the limitations of the points of view we present in our articles in order to preserve the complexity of real life events in our writing.
We are not depositaries of the truth, but we have principles
We believe in the importance of social justice and in the project of a world free from all kinds of oppression and discrimination (in particular racism, sexism, homophobia, transphobia, classism, ageism and disablism)
We are feminists
Our magazine is led by women. We see feminism as a practice aimed at achieving equality among genders, as well as at rethinking our ways of being in the world on the basis of principles of care, personal and social responsibility and collective freedom. We see LGBTQ+, Black and POC, migrant, religious and social minorities’ rights as core to our feminism.
Inclusive language
We believe that language influences reality. We will proactively challenge discrimination and stereotypes, as well as expressions that are derogatory of individuals or groups of people in our writing. We will work with our collaborators to find linguistic solutions that reflect the way they feel about all aspects of their identity (for example gender identity, sexual orientation, race and ethnicity, religion, disability, age and class).
We need you
We need your help to ensure that we practice what we preach. We will take criticism from our readers seriously, and will ensure that we integrate this in our writing.