The Lens is Carleton College's internationally distributed magazine of politics and culture. The Lens is an interdisciplinary, student-run magazine that features the work of over 85 Carleton students in bi-annual issues. Each magazine has an overriding theme and contains articles that are of interest to undergraduate students and faculty at colleges and universities nationally. Past issues have had the themes of “Neighborhoods,” “Behind Closed Doors,” and “Stranger.”

The mission of The Lens Magazine is to provide a forum for high-quality feature magazine writing, design and management for the undergraduate students of Carleton College. The Lens strives to engage the campus and local community while covering political and cultural issues of concern to the greater country and world.

The Lens is written, edited, designed and managed entirely by unpaid undergraduate students at Carleton College as an extracurricular activity. Content is both solicited and selected through an open submissions process. Selections are based upon their insightful and in-depth exploration of political and cultural issues. Most selections are made based on their applicability to the theme chosen by the chief editors, managing editor and the editorial board. The staff is chosen by the chief editors. The Lens is an independent magazine. The views expressed in the magazine, and in featured online articles are the responsibility of the authors and are not necessarily those of the editorial staff, Carleton College or its students.

The Lens is a member of Associated Collegiate Press and The Columbia Scholastic Press Association.

For more information on The Lens, explore the links to the left or contact an editor.

Read selected articles from our latest issue, "Stranger".

To subscribe visit our Subscriptions Page.

Look for our next issue, “Vision” set for publication in the spring of 2010.