Welcome to the soft launch of the Harding Project. You are receiving this because you either agreed to be recontacted following a survey of military writers, or because I am familiar with your interest in professional military writing. Unfortunately, this site may not work on government computers, but I hope to fix that soon.
Inspired by then-Major Forrest Harding’s renewal of the Infantry Journal in the 1930s, the Harding Project aims to help renew the United States Army’s professional publications. This effort will pay special attention to policy, digital archives, editorial teams, and educating the force.
In the 20th century's first half, the Army hosted rich discussion of doctrine, force structure and technology through a network of well-circulated, well-read, soldier-run publications. That discussion has since faltered for lack of investment in the publications which hosted it, to the Army's detriment.
This project will go for one year following the formal launch in early September 2023 here and at the Modern War Institute (MWI). The project may continue for a second year depending on the project’s success and outside interest.
The Harding Project will live here on this substack with key works cross-posted at MWI. This substack aims to organize those interested in renewing professional publications, inform you, and solicit your ideas.
Reasons for renewal
The Army’s professional military publications need renewal.
Less content. From 1982 to 2020, four branch magazines published fewer issues and fewer pages, more erratically, each year.
Civilian editorial staffs. Over the same time period, military editorial staff declined to zero officers working at branch magazines and just one at Military Review.
Outdated format. While outlets like Military Review have modernized, professional publications are largely not reaching their audiences.
Weak engagement. Professional outlets could improve social media and scholarly engagement. Their social media has limited reach. A forthcoming Harding Project Research Brief demonstrates that military authors cited professional military writing only 254 times in a sample of 9,014 citations.
Not diverse. Military writers are overwhelmingly pale and male, suggesting the Army is missing important perspectives.
Inaccessible archives. The Army's rich intellectual history is hard to access. Generally archived at the issue-level, students must scour through issues to find information.
Four Point Platform
The Army's publications have renewed before and the Harding Project will focus on the following four goals:
1. Perfect the policy. Update Army Pamphlet 25-40 to support transitioning professional bulletins to web-first formats with strong social media presence, and encourage transition with the awards program. West Point's Modern War Institute “channels” might make a good host for modernized branch magazines.
2. Improve the archives. Archive our history at the article-level, rather than at the issue-level as currently.
3. Empower volunteers. Establish volunteer editorial teams that increase capacity, build a capable writer cohort, and connect the force with outlets.
4. Educate the force. Familiarize students with professional outlets by requiring citation of one professional article in all written assignments.
The Plan
Launch. The Harding Project will formally launch in early September at the Modern War Institute.
Regular features. To raise the profile of military writing, the Harding Project will publish short bios of notable military authors, both historical and contemporary, at MWI in a feature similar to their War Books. The Harding Project will also publish profiles of professional military journals about once a month alongside branch birthdays.
Other features. Articles related to professional writing, but suited to a larger audience will publish at MWI as appropriate. The Harding Project will solicit some articles and also welcomes submissions from the community.
Substack. To inform the community of interest, this substack will publish original research related to professional publications or other more niche articles about once a week.
Events. The Harding Project hopes to hold a small number of workshops or conferences. Standby for information!
How you can help
If you’d like to write a profile of a military writer, your branch magazine, or have an idea for an article related to either professional military writing or the Harding Project’s four point platform, please contact either zach@hardingproject.com or theo@hardingproject.com.