1. Editorial Vision
ETHICS Lab is grounded in a simple conviction: philosophy must remain operative.
We approach philosophical concepts not as objects of commentary, but as tools—capable of interpreting and intervening in contemporary life. Our work focuses on the intersection between ethics, technology, and space, understood as the concrete horizon in which human existence unfolds. Each volume we publish is conceived as a precise and self-contained act of thinking: rigorous, accessible, and conceptually necessary.
2. The Three Series
ETHICS Lab operates through three distinct publishing trajectories, each serving a specific intellectual function. Authors must indicate which series they are submitting to:
I. ETHICS Lab Studies (Flagship Monographs)
- Scope: Rigorous, short-form monographic essays that bridge deep phenomenological/spatial analysis with contemporary challenges.
- Language: Strictly English (international academic standard).
- Length: 35,000–50,000 words.
II. ETHICS Lab Notebooks (Experimental & Working Texts)
- Scope: A conceptual laboratory for exploratory texts, focused interventions, critical translations, and research-in-progress that require rapid, agile dissemination, ideal for early-stage scholars.
- Language: Multilingual (English, Italian, Spanish).
- Length: 25,000–35,000 words.
III. ETHICS Lab Perspectives (Dialogues & Proceedings)
- Scope: Edited volumes, symposium proceedings, and structured academic debates gathering multiple voices around a single operative theme.
- Language: Multilingual (English, Italian, Spanish).
- Length: 40,000–60,000 words.
3. Universal Editorial Principles
Regardless of the series, all ETHICS Lab publications adhere to the following mandates:
No Footnotes
ETHICS Lab adopts a strict no-footnotes policy across all its series.
All arguments, references, and theoretical positioning must be fully integrated into the main text. We reject the fragmentation of thought into primary text and secondary apparatus. Thinking must remain exposed.
Conceptual Economy
We publish short-form philosophical works. The word limits outlined above are not merely technical constraints, but intellectual principles: clarity requires form. Texts exceeding these scales are not considered.
Essayistic Rigour
We privilege:
- clarity over accumulation
- argument over documentation
- structure over dispersion
The model is not the annotated academic treatise, but the rigorous essay.
4. Language and Citation Standard
- Style: Avoid regional idioms and calques. Maintain a clear argumentative flow and integrate references seamlessly into the text. The tone must be controlled, precise, and readable.
- Citation System: All manuscripts must strictly follow the Chicago Manual of Style – Author-Date.
- In-text example: (Ortega y Gasset 1949, 230)
- No footnote references.
- Full reference list at the end of the volume.
5. Manuscript Structure
A typical submission should include:
- Title page
- Table of contents
- Introduction
- Chapters (or equivalent structure, avoiding excessive subsections)
- Conclusion
- Reference list (bibliography)
6. Formatting Requirements
To ensure visual and structural consistency across our catalog:
- Trim size: 5.5” × 8.5”
- Typeface: Palatino Linotype
- Line spacing: 1.15
- Margins: Optimised for print (mirror layout)
Authors are required to use the official ETHICS Lab Word template (.dotx), which will be provided upon acceptance of the proposal.
7. Submission Process
To submit a project for any of our three series, please download and complete the official ETHICS Lab Book Proposal Form.
This document is designed to help you articulate your project’s alignment with our editorial vision, specifically regarding our strict word limits, our operative approach to philosophy, and our no-footnotes mandate.
DOWNLOAD THE BOOK PROPOSAL FORM (.docx)
Once completed, please send the following to submission@ethics-lab.org.uk:
- The completed Book Proposal Form (which includes your detailed chapter outline and short bio).
- One Sample Chapter (to demonstrate your argumentative style and your practical application of the no-footnotes policy).
Please note: Submissions that do not use the official form or fail to include a sample chapter will not be considered.
8. Publishing Model
ETHICS Lab combines rigorous editorial evaluation with an agile production workflow.
Accepted manuscripts are edited, formatted, and published globally via Amazon KDP. Each volume becomes part of a coherent visual and conceptual system, ensuring rapid international distribution without the bureaucratic delays of traditional academic publishing.