What we publish
SWIFT is devoted to publishing editorial satire, in all formats. The pieces in our magazine use humor to express opinions--about politics, popular culture, academia, and life in general. Though satire is not the only or necessarily the funniest kind of humor, it has a unique ability to make a statement in a particularly clear and compelling way. As such, SWIFT's mission is different from that of most humor magazines--it seeks to be appreciated for its editorial content as much as for its entertainment value.
Universal appeal
Unlike many campus publications at Harvard, SWIFT specifically avoids material that is relevant only to current students. Rather, it publishes pieces that can be fully appreciated by anyone who is sufficiently educated and informed. Thus, in theory, SWIFT can be distributed anywhere in the country without losing its relevance. In practice, SWIFT's editors can give copies to all their friends and relatives, and you, too, can subscribe.
Teamwork and integration
The SWIFT writing process encourages collaboration. Every piece is reviewed and edited by the entire writing staff before it is considered for publication, and in many cases a piece is conceived by one person, drafted by another, and revised by several more. The result is an unusually consistent and polished magazine whose every page represents the work of a large team. In addition, this method allows SWIFT to integrate art and writing with unusual effectiveness. Pieces are not limited by the drawing abilities of their authors--staff members can write cartoons and other pieces that rely heavily on drawings, even if they cannot provide the drawings themselves.
Due to the nature of its writing process, SWIFT does not credit pieces to individuals, though it does allow its artists to sign their drawings.
Classics
Each issue, SWIFT pays homage to its predecessors in the art of satire by publishing a "Classic"--a great satirical work previously published elsewhere. Past "Classic" authors have included Jonathan Swift, Mark Twain, and Ambrose Bierce.
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When and where we publish
SWIFT is published and distributed four times during the academic year. It is distributed to every room in the on-campus housing for Harvard College, distribution centers for Harvard Law School and the Harvard Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, and elsewhere in the Cambridge area.
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Our executive board