n+1 Magazine: Intellectual Dispute as Editorial DNA

The New York-based magazine n+1, founded in 2003 by Keith Gessen, Mark Greif, Chad Harbach, Benjamin Kunkel, and Marco Roth, emerged from a shared anger at the lack of intellectual debate in post-9/11 America. Each founder contributed $2,000, and the first issue, titled "Negation," appeared in fall 2004. The magazine's ethos centers on collective, conflict-driven editing—what they call "dispute"—where ideas are fiercely attacked and defended. This approach mirrors the Occupy Wall Street movement, which n+1 actively supported in 2011 by launching the Occupy Gazette. The magazine publishes three times a year, with a hybrid style blending essay, journalism, and memoir. Notable contributors include Elif Batuman, Gideon Lewis-Kraus, and Astra Taylor. n+1 has also spawned book projects, including a series on hipsters and the "Paper Monument" collection on art. The editorial team recently expanded to include younger editors Carla Blumenkrantz and Nikil Saval, reflecting a multi-generational revolt. The summer 2012 issue, "Awkward Age," features ten authors under thirty.