Philosophy Undergraduate Journal
We are a student-run philosophy journal at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities. Spring of 2025 we published our eighth edition of Epistemai, an Undergraduate Philosophy Journal with a focus on short, original, philosophical work done by undergraduates from universities across the country, and internationally.
If you are interested in learning more about our journal, what we do, and how to join our staff, fill out this form and one of our staffers will reach out to you! We look forward to hearing from you!
Our vision for Epistemai is to provide opportunities for undergraduate students to gain deep experience with academic and public philosophy through practice.
One goal of Epistemai is to provide a forum for undergraduate philosophy students to have their papers critically reviewed, edited, and published, and to publish quality works of philosophy that can be read and considered by our peers.
Additionally, it is our goal to offer undergraduate students at the University of Minnesota the opportunity to gain experience in the academic peer review process and develop skills in editing, critical analysis, organization, and writing. We endeavor to create an inclusive and welcoming space that fosters intellectual and philosophical diversity and allows undergraduate philosophy students to lead, connect, and collaborate with peers on philosophical projects.
This year, we will be implementing a rolling-acceptance based model for submissions. This means that earlier submissions will receive priority in consideration, with the first formal deadline on January 1st, 2026, and a second and final deadline on February 15th, 2026. Submissions received prior to the first deadline will also be considered for our 2026 undergraduate conference, which will be held in mid-to-late spring. We currently plan to accept five papers for the conference and eight for publication in total.
Criteria for Papers:
Must be written by an undergraduate.
Original and concise philosophical work with a length between 3000 and 6000 words (12 to 24 pages).
Include a 100–200 word abstract summarizing your paper and page numbers.
Chicago style citations are preferred for submissions, and will be required for publishing.
Cannot be published elsewhere.
Submission Process:
Submit your paper electronically by February 15th, 2026 by uploading a .docx or .docs file (must be editable) via this form, or by email to [email protected]. Submissions from those who would like to participate in the conference or are seeking priority consideration are due on January 1st, 2026.
Include a cover page with the following personal information (do not include a name or any personal information elsewhere in the paper): your name, your email, and your undergraduate institution name.
All papers will undergo a blind peer review.
Papers will be selected by early spring. You will be notified as to our decision at that time.
Questions? Contact us!
Current Epistemai staff
Frank Nussbaum
President, Editor-in-Chief, Peer Reviewer
I am a junior majoring in Philosophy, and Asian and Middle Eastern Studies. My main areas of interest are the relationship between aesthetics and political thought, and the historical genealogy of literature. My main hobbies are reading, and complaining about the things I’m reading.
Mike Sprung
Vice President, Peer Reviewer
My name is Mike and I am the vice president of Epistemai. My philosophical interests include philosophy of religion, medieval philosophy, and political philosophy. Outside of philosophy I enjoy learning languages, playing board games, and being outdoors. I am also interested in religious studies.
Hannah Winnick
Head Staff Writer, Peer Reviewer
Hi I’m Hannah, a current senior studying Environmental Science and Philosophy with a focus on legal studies. I started in Epistemai as a peer reviewer and switched to focus more on writing. Philosophy offers us a great opportunity to develop ideas with our peers, which I am excited to continue to do by encouraging collaboration in the journal and
community. Outside of school I am on the UMN Ballroom dance team and enjoy snowboarding, spending time with friends, and I occasionally cook something other than noodles.
Grant Hayden
Co-Editor in Chief, Peer Reviewer
My name is Grant Hayden. Hailing from Texas, I am a Sophomore Philosophy student with a minor in Medieval Studies. My main philosophical interests are existentialism, political philosophy, and fin de siecle modernism. Aside from philosophy, I enjoy writing, coding, and playing the accordion; I also have interests in linguistics and cultural
studies.
Elijah Arnett
Co-Editor in Chief, Peer Reviewer
My name is Elijah. I am a second year biochemistry major with interests in pursuing a minor in statistics. My primary philosophical interests are within continental philosophy and philosophy of science. In my spare time, I am a musician.
Ben Noble
Peer Reviewer
I am a freshman at the University of Minnesota studying Psychology. My philosophical interests mostly center around the philosophy of religion and existentialism, and German Idealism. In my free time I will be reading, playing piano, or going to the gym.
Naisha Islam
Peer Reviewer
Hello, I’m Naisha and I’m a senior studying Biological Anthropology.
My philosophy-adjacent interests: the philosophy of theology and science, process philosophy, philosophical ethnography, and literature and legal theories of the Enlightenment. I’m a bit of a dilettante and am somewhat interested in everything, so the most simple thing about my hobbies is that I like mythologizing everything, music, and walking
around. Also, I love satire.
Sam Young
Peer Reviewer
Hi! My name is Sam Young. I am a Sophomore studying Philosophy and Political Science. My main philosophical interests are in ethics, existentialism, and ancient philosophy. I am primarily interested in the question of how to live a good life. In my free time, I enjoy working out, thrifting, and volunteering.
Reilly Lonetree
Peer Reviewer
My name is Reilly and I am a senior majoring in Technical Writing & Communication. My main philosophical interests include religion, existentialism, and aesthetics. I like to listen to music and play guitar, in my free time.
Sofia Ishal
Peer Reviewer
Hello! My name is Sofia Ishal and I am a peer reviewer for Epistemai. I am a Philosophy major at the University of Minnesota–Twin Cities with a specific interest in political philosophy. I have aspirations to go to law school after undergrad and I am hoping to work in the civil rights legal field. Outside of school I am a full time high school debate coach where I am committed to helping debaters grow both competitively and intellectually. I enjoy reading and writing poetry, in my free time.
Danielle Kha
Peer Reviewer
Hey, my name is Dani and I am a junior majoring in Philosophy and minoring in Business Law. I don’t have a particular favorite philosophical subject but I have been enjoying political philosophy and existentialism. I am a member of Kappa Alpha Pi, the university's pre-law/pre-government co-ed fraternity and plan to go to law school after I graduate. Whenever I have free time, I like to cook, camp, travel, thrift, and climb.