Call for Co-Editor in Chief of Gender and Justice

The Editorial Management Board of Gender and Justice invites applications for a Co-Editor in Chief to join the existing editorial team of the journal to run for a period of three years, with the possibility of renewing for a second two-year term. 

Gender and Justice is a new international and transdisciplinary journal dedicated to advancing critical feminist scholarship on equality and justice in the social sciences, and from different methodological perspectives. It will publish its inaugural issue in March 2025.

The journal aims to showcase innovative contributions that are theoretically-driven and/or empirically-grounded approaches to various forms of gender inequality, injustice and exclusion which influence and shape individuals' lives across diverse and global contexts. The editors’ conception of justice is comprehensive. It encompasses economic, social, criminal, distributive, environmental, cultural and political dimensions.   

Gender and Justice seeks articles that treat gender, sexuality and justice as entwined rather than discrete processes in social relations. The journal is committed to pushing the boundaries of knowledge in these domains, disseminating cutting-edge research that not only addresses existing issues but also raises fresh inquiries, and advocates for ground-breaking approaches to both the theory and practice of social scientific research. In particular, the journal will welcome articles that introduce and advance new conceptual and creative methodological approaches to research and practice relative to gender justice, and that can advance knowledge and inform activism. Gender and Justice will concentrate upon generating critical debates to consider what a feminist conception of justice can mean in terms of an ethical society, and in terms of developing and enriching critical feminist/gender/queer and social theory.

The Gender and Justice editorial team looks towards a more hopeful future. We are focused on providing an ethical and rigourous space for the feminist exploration and problematisation of social, political, economic and legal factors – amongst others – that impact upon as well as shape and inform, gendered ways of living and being globally. Fundamentally, it is our ambition that feminist researchers who are at all stages of their careers will turn to us to publish their work, confident in the knowledge that we will treat them and their research with respect and recognise their dignity as members of a broad and inclusive academic community.

More information about the journal can be found here: https://bristoluniversitypress.co.uk/journals/gender-and-justice.

Applications are invited for a Co-Editor in Chief whose expertise will complement that of the existing Co-Editors in Chief. Current disciplinary areas of expertise lie in intersection of feminist theory and methods, sociology, criminology and criminal law. The editorial team aims to reflect the transdisciplinary and international nature of the journal. 

This is an exciting opportunity to help shape and develop the journal over the coming 3-5 years. The Co-Editors in Chief, Associate Editors and Editorial Management Board work closely together, are very supportive and meet at least once a year, either in person or virtually, to help inform future content of the journal. We are particularly interested in building a diverse editorial team with good international networks that reflects the breadth of our intended readership.

Applications should include a short CV (no more than two pages) highlighting relevant experience and a cover letter (up to two pages long) addressing the following:

• Your vision for the journal and how you will contribute to editorial strategy;
• How you will ensure the editorial team is soliciting and receiving articles that make substantial and meaningful contributions across the multiple fields that make up the journal’s scope;
• How you will contribute to the growth of Gender and Justice’s international presence and ensure the high quality of articles published to achieve good results across a wide range of quality indicators;
• What you can bring to the journal in terms of your experience of working on other journals, your areas of relevant expertise and why you feel you meet the requirements of the role;
• How you propose to work together and divide tasks and responsibilities between the editors;
• How you will ensure effective team working.

Please also refer to the Co-Editor in Chief Job Description and Person Specification. Prospective applicants may like to informally contact members of the Selection Committee at lexmembership@lexnetwork.org.

Selection committee:

• Anna Carline, Co-Editor in Chief
• Sharron FitzGerald, Co-Editor in Chief
• Lesley McMillan, Co-Editor in Chief
• Edwina Thorn, Publisher

Applications should be forwarded by email to genderandjustice-editorial@bristol.ac.uk, no later than 31 January 2025.

All applications will be considered by the Selection Committee, and a shortlist of candidates will be interviewed. The selected candidates will enter into contract with Bristol University Press, the publisher of the journal. An Editorial Assistant, who supports the day to day work of the journal is provided by the Publisher.

Gender and Justice Co-Editor in Chief Job Description

The Editors in Chief have overall responsibility for all editorial aspects of the Journal including:

• Commissioning and encouraging quality submissions with broad international authorship;
• Working with the wider Editorial Team (namely the Associate Editors) to receive submissions; identify suitable referees; make editorial decisions on acceptance, revision or rejection in the light of referees’ reports; oversee the journey of accepted papers from acceptance to publication; liaising with the publisher over publication arrangements; or, where a decision is made to reject unsuitable manuscripts, rejecting manuscripts in a manner that respects the efforts of the author and provides suitable encouragement in their future efforts;
• Sustaining and enhancing the quality of the articles published in the journal. This includes establishing policies and guidelines for acceptance of manuscripts and general instructions for authors, with a view to ensuring manuscript submissions that meet the scope and high quality and ethical standards of the journal;
• Liaising with other members of the Editorial Team to ensure content is delivered to schedule;
• Deciding on the content and balance of each issue of the journal (apart from guest edited special issues, where the editor would reach a broad agreement with the guest editor(s) on the shape of the issue);
• Liaising closely with colleagues at Bristol University Press and ensuring schedules and deadlines are adhered to;
• Maintaining and further developing the international reputation of the journal;
• Working with the Editorial Assistant to organise the annual meetings of the Editorial Board and preparing an Editors’ Report and any other relevant papers for these meetings.
• Formulating and reviewing the journal’s editorial strategy in collaboration with the other Editors and putting ideas for development to the Management Board;
• Developing and sustaining a wide network of reliable referees;
• Working with the Editorial Board to generate, and respond to, ideas for special/themed issues of the journal or themed calls for papers;
• Where necessary, developing calls for the appointment of new Associate Editors and Board members;
• Encouraging active participation in the journal on the part of Associate Editors, and Editorial Advisory Board members;

The term of office is three years with the possibility of extending for a further two years. The selected candidates will enter into contract with Bristol University Press, the publisher of the journal.

Person Specification 

Essential

• Scholars of high international reputation in fields such as sociology, human geography, political science, economics, health, socio-legal studies, law, criminology, migration and other related fields. We welcome interest from feminist, cultural and political theory as well as specialists in research methods;
• Editorial experience, including extensive experience of refereeing for a range of journals;
• Understanding of the processes and operations of an academic journal – for example by membership of an Editorial Board;
• Can come from any of the above-cited disciplines, but must be sympathetic to the inter-disciplinary nature of the journal, and able to encourage submissions from all perspectives;
• Open to a range of research methods and philosophies;
• Sympathetic to practitioner research undertaken to a high standard as well as conventional ‘academic’ research;
• Vision and passion for development of the Journal;
• Experience of using an online journal submission and peer review system;
• Commitment to the practicalities of the role and able to devote the time required;
• Able to attend virtual board meetings in a time slot that works for the majority of Board members (including the UK based publishers).