The Center Magazine

The Center Magazine. It was a significant American periodical published by the Center for the Study of Democratic Institutions from 1967 to 1983. The magazine served as a primary vehicle for the think tank's mission to foster reasoned debate on critical public issues, featuring in-depth essays, dialogues, and symposia from leading intellectuals across various fields. Its content reflected the Center's commitment to nonpartisan, scholarly examination of the challenges facing modern democracy.

History and founding

The magazine was launched in 1967 under the auspices of the Center for the Study of Democratic Institutions, an influential think tank founded by Robert M. Hutchins in Santa Barbara, California. The Center itself grew out of the earlier Fund for the Republic, which was established with a grant from the Ford Foundation. The creation of the publication was a strategic move to disseminate the Center's ongoing work, which involved hosting prolonged seminars and conferences with figures like Scott Buchanan and Stringfellow Barr. Its founding coincided with a period of intense social upheaval in the United States, including the Vietnam War and the Civil Rights Movement, providing a platform for calm, deliberative discourse amidst national turmoil.

Content and editorial focus

The editorial focus was dedicated to publishing substantive, long-form discussions on the fundamental principles and pressing problems of democratic society. Typical content included full transcripts of the Center's famous dialogues, position papers from its various task forces, and essays on topics ranging from constitutional law and human rights to technology assessment and bioethics. It avoided news reporting or brief commentary, instead favoring comprehensive analyses of issues like arms control, corporate governance, and environmental policy. This approach was consistent with the Hutchinsian philosophy of using sustained dialogue to seek the public good, influencing similar efforts at places like the Aspen Institute.

Notable contributors and articles

The magazine featured an exceptionally wide array of prominent thinkers, writers, and public figures. Regular contributors included philosophers like Mortimer J. Adler and Hannah Arendt, scientists such as Jonas Salk and Margaret Mead, and legal scholars including Alexander Bickel and Archibald Cox. Notable political figures who contributed essays or participated in dialogues were U Thant, George F. Kennan, and Walter Mondale. It published seminal discussions on the Pentagon Papers, the ethical implications of the Vietnam War, and early warnings about ecological crises, often framing debates that would later enter the mainstream through publications like The New York Review of Books.

Publication and circulation

It was published bimonthly from its headquarters in Santa Barbara, California, with the Center for the Study of Democratic Institutions acting as both publisher and editorial source. Circulation was modest but highly influential, primarily reaching an audience of academics, policymakers, journalists, and engaged citizens. The magazine was not sold on newsstands but distributed via subscription, often to libraries, universities, and members of related organizations like the World Federalist Movement. Its design was austere and text-heavy, emphasizing substance over style, which reflected its serious intellectual ambitions and distinguished it from more commercial periodicals like Time.

Impact and legacy

The magazine had a profound impact on American intellectual life by providing a respected forum for interdisciplinary and long-range thinking about democracy's future. It helped legitimize the role of the nonpartisan think tank in public policy formation and set a high standard for deliberative journalism. Its closure in 1983, following financial difficulties at the parent Center, marked the end of an era. However, its legacy persists in the continued emphasis on scholarly dialogue in institutions like the Hastings Center and the Berkman Klein Center for Internet & Society, and its archives remain a valuable resource for studying late-20th century thought on governance, ethics, and society.

Category:American magazines Category:Political magazines Category:Publications established in 1967 Category:Publications disestablished in 1983