Displacement is a word we come across in many different contexts over the course of our life. To be displaced is to not be in the same place one was before. This shift, and its occurrence, can be variable across situations and no two such displacements can be exactly alike. Yet, there can exist points of congruence, of startling similarity, between them. The chief uniting factor perhaps is the intensely palpable feeling of not being comfortable in one’s new surroundings. The vagaries of human life necessitate the possession of adaptability to change. It is a loop of one slowly growing roots and the storms of life uprooting them at a moment’s notice. But any and all attempts to sustain stability fail in the face of emerging futures.

Displacement is not always in terms of location. One can feel displaced in time, in space, in one’s own body, in one’s beliefs. It can be gradual or sudden, intentional or forced. An individual might have created her/his identity on a firm foundation of certain ideas but might find all of them challenged and dismantled one day. It is akin to feeling out of place, out of one’s depth with no recourse of reversing the change. Displacement often forces us into a state of heightened awareness and perception in an attempt to process sensory information faster. It is liable to unleash an onslaught of emotions, both pleasant and unpleasant. As one absorbs all this new information, one is forced to quickly adjust to the change.

When we decided to go with “displacement” as the theme for the fourth issue, we envisioned and anticipated a diverse range of creative output which befits the rich and ambiguous nature of the word. A lot of the work that we chose for publication examines and interrogates its various facets in new and fresh ways. Some approach it from a microscopic viewpoint, while others opt to depict a larger overall picture; all are “acutely personal, and emboldened by their universality.” With the two feature interviews, we have continued our attempt to highlight incredibly outstanding women writers from the country and arrive at a deeper understanding of their work, creative process, and everything in between. We hope this issue carries forward our original vision for the journal and introduces you to a wide variety of engaging pieces.