Deadline for Applications: May 1, 2020
Individual and team applications are invited for the position of editor of Sociology of Race and Ethnicity, a journal of the American Sociological Association’s Section on Racial and Ethnic Minorities (SREM). Sociology of Race and Ethnicity (SRE) brings together the highest quality sociological research on race and ethnicity. It is published quarterly each year.
The official term for the new editors will begin in January 2022. The editorial transition will begin in 2021. The new editors will work with the current editors in 2021 to ensure a smooth transition. The new editors’ term is for three years (2022-2024), with a possible extension of up to an additional two years.
SRE has steadily witnessed increased submissions since its founding, receiving approximately 200 submissions each year, and is on track to surpass that mark in the current year. The editors are expected to secure timely and appropriate reviews and make the final decision on manuscripts, informing both the author(s) and reviewers of the final disposition. The editors are also responsible for maintaining the high standards of ASA journals, ensuring that issues are filled within the annual page allotments, and preventing a long backlog of articles for either review or publication. The editor must show openness to communicating with scholars about diverse ideas, openness to a diverse range of methodologies, and eagerness to continue building the journal’s reputation.
- established record of scholarship,
- evidence of understanding the mission of the journal and its operation, indicated by experience with the journal across any of a wide variety of activities (submission, reviewing, editorial board experience),
- assessment of the present state of the journal, its strengths and challenges, and a vision for the journal’s future,
- openness to different methods, theories, and approaches to sociology,
- record of responsible service to scholarly publishing, and
- evidence of organizational skill and intellectual leadership.
The actual costs associated with editing the journal are covered by the publisher, a dedicated portion of section dues, and the editors’ university (or universities). Applicants will provide a letter from the administration of their institution assuring a suitable level of financial and in-kind support for the editor(s), a managing editor (often a graduate student from the editor(s)’s institution or another institution where the editor(s) can illustrate the potential for a successful collaboration), and the editorial office.
Selection Process: Applications will be reviewed by the SREM Publications Committee beginning on May 1, 2020. Anonymized candidate vision statements will be circulated to the SREM membership for advisory comments and feedback. The SREM Publications Committee, in consultation with the SREM Council and Chair, will review and rank the candidates and submit a recommendation for editor(s) to the SREM membership by August 31, 2020. The SREM membership will vote on the recommendation presented to them by the Publications Committee in September 2020. By December 1, 2020 the results of the vote and other materials required for review of the journal will be forwarded to ASA’s Publications Committee, which will review the selection and forward the recommendation to ASA Council. The new editors will work with the current editors in 2021 to ensure a smooth transition on January 1, 2022.
Applications: The applications should include the following:
- Vision Statement: Set forth your goals and plans for the content of the journal. This may include an assessment of the current strengths, weaknesses, or gaps that you plan to address and how you will carry out your plan.
- Editor/Co-Editors Background Information: the name, affiliation, and other important information about the potential editor(s). Describe the qualifications and experience of each person that supports their inclusion. Please do not include names of individuals that you would like to include on the larger editorial board. If you wish to include names of nominees for Pedagogy and Book Review editors, you may; these individuals will be nominated by the editorial team after they are selected, so you are not required to include them in your application. See the SREM bylaws for details.
- Institutional Support: It is important for candidates to examine the feasibility of serving as editor in light of the resources provided by the publisher, the section, and the home university. We request a preliminary letter of support from a dean or other appropriate institutional official. This letter must be included for the application to be considered.
- CVs for all potential editors (and if applicable associate editors).
In accordance with ASA’s mission to publish high quality scholarship, the following criteria are considered in selecting editors: (1) established record of scholarship; (2) evidence of understanding the mission of the journal and its operation, indicated by experience with the journal across any of a wide variety of activities (submission, reviewing, editorial board experience); (3) assessment of the present state of the journal, its strengths and challenges, and a vision for the journal’s future; (4) openness to different methods, theories, and approaches to sociology; (5) record of responsible service to scholarly publishing; and (5) evidence of organizational skill and intellectual leadership.
For questions and further information about the application process, please contact: W. Carson Byrd, Chair of SREM Publications committee, [email protected]. We encourage anyone who is considering an application and wants to discuss ideas or ask questions about any topic, including the resources necessary to support the journal, to get in touch. The SREM bylaws are available here.
A brief note indicating interest in applying should be sent to [email protected] by April 1, 2020. The application packet should be no more than five (5) pages (excluding CVs), and must be received by May 1, 2020.
Applications should be addressed to the SREM Publications Committee and emailed to W. Carson Byrd ([email protected]).
