Our ONE Rule:

Respect!

We value bold, unconventional perspectives. In fact, we encourage them. You don’t need to stick to the mainstream—as long as your work is grounded in thoughtfulness and integrity, we want to hear it.

However, respect is the foundation of our platform. We will not accept submissions that:

  • Promote hate or discrimination

  • Dehumanize or demonize any group

  • Call for or glorify violence

  • Are intentionally offensive or inflammatory

  • Spread deliberate misinformation or conspiracy theories with no factual basis

  • Reveal private information or share someone’s identity without their consent

  • Copy or plagiarize work without crediting the original author or source

  • Are spam, scams, or purely self-promotional

Our moderation team may remove content or suspend users who violate these guidelines, to keep the conversation constructive and safe for everyone. If you believe a moderation decision was made in error, you may request a review.

Disagreement is natural, and being challenged is part of growth. But our community thrives when contributions are made in good faith and with a genuine desire to understand others.

Submission Guidelines

At The Fourth Pole, we keep our guidelines simple. Our goal is to make the platform accessible to all who want to participate, while also ensuring that contributions maintain a basic standard of quality, readability, and factual accuracy.

We welcome two kinds of submissions: DeepDives and Short Takes.

Deep Dives

DeepDives are in-depth explorations of a topic. These can be:

  • Opinion pieces

  • Analytical essays

  • Research papers

  • First-hand experiences related to geopolitics and conflict

Guidelines:

  • Length: 1,000–2,500 words

  • Minimum of 5 sources (exceptions for personal experience pieces)

  • All sources should be linked via URL—no formal bibliographies required

Short Takes

Short Takes are concise contributions that highlight an idea, observation, or reaction in a clear, punchy way. These can be:

  • Quick reactions to current events

  • Short opinion pieces

  • “Prove me wrong” statements

Guidelines:

  • Maximum length: 300 words

  • Sources: Not required, but encouraged

  • Any sources should be linked via URL

Flexibility

If you’d like to submit something that doesn’t quite fit these guidelines, don’t worry—reach out to us! We’re more than happy to take a look at your proposal and explore how it might fit on The Fourth Pole.

By keeping things straightforward, we hope to provide a platform where contributors can focus on substance while readers can trust the quality of what they find here.