Roger Patterson and Robert Gimlin, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Since it premiered on September 10, 1993, The X-Files has challenged its viewers to think about truth, memory, power, perspective, and technology.
To mark the thirtieth anniversary of the show, we are now accepting pitches for short essays (500–800 words) that explore The X-Files through a historical lens. We’re interested in pieces on cryptids, government secrets, technology, futurism, and other ways the show reflects the political and cultural concerns of the 1990s, from the post-Cold War world order to the environmental movement to the Satanic panic.1 Explore how the show depicted and recast history, meditate on how it influenced your views on the pursuit of truth, or put the evolution of Scully’s wardrobe in historical context. You can even explain to us the historical nature of the whammy.
To pitch, please use the form at the bottom of our Pitch Us page, selecting “TRUSTNO1” from the dropdown menu. With your pitch, please provide a short bio, and let us know whether you’re a Scully, a Mulder, or a Skinner. Pitches are due by Friday, November 17. You’ll hear back from us by Monday, November 20. Drafts will be due by Wednesday, November 29. Please note the quick turnaround time for this series.
Each author will be paid $150. As always, Contingent will prioritize pitches from people who have completed postgraduate work in history (or a history-adjacent field) but are working outside of tenure-track employment.