Prospects was a multidisciplinary journal that explored all aspects of American civilization. It had as its primary concern the presentation of exceptional works of criticism and scholarship that elucidated the essential nature of the American character. Articles combined sound, creative scholarship with speculative discourse. Prospects published in interdisciplinary subject areas ranging over literature, film, humor, satire, photography, music, history, art, urban studies, television and sociology, with challenging and stimulating theoretical essays. Each volume was illustrated with line drawings, cartoons, photographs, reproductions of paintings and other graphic art.

Although this journal ceased publication, digitized back volumes will be available online in the future through Cambridge University Press's archival digitization program.