Taking Action: Five steps for a more diverse and inclusive Journal
By Justine Hope
SAGE is committed to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) and we were founded on the premise that high-quality, rigorous social science creates better societies. The killing of George Floyd in 2020 put the spotlight on how much work there still is do to eradicate the scourge of racism from our society, and the world stood-up and paid attention. Further, the impact of Covid-19 only emphasised the systemic inequities that marginalised communities face, from racial inequalities in the effects of the virus, to children having no access to laptops for online learning, to the risk of a setback for gender equality. For our part, we responded by making our research on Structural Racism and Police Violence and on Covid-19 free to view so there are no barriers to us educating ourselves to become better citizens.
A call to action for Journal Editors
The spread of misinformation which plagues our society only emphasises the continuing need for rigorous peer-reviewed research to spread facts not fiction. As Journal Editors, you’re best placed to commit your journal to increase the range of diverse voices it publishes to better represent the rich variety of society. So how to tackle this important issue? While we admit this may seem like a daunting task, we have listed five steps to take, in no particular order, to jump-start your journal today for a more diverse and inclusive tomorrow.
Advocate
· Recognise the power you have in creating an inclusive environment, one that supports and embraces diversity and equity. From creating your editorial board to selecting what get published, it all starts with you.
· Create a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) statement for your Journal.
· Nominate one of your associate editors or board members to lead on DEI for your journal – this assist with accountability, monitoring progress and developing strategies for improvements.
Educate
· Allocate time to your own research on diversity and urge your editorial board to do the same. As a starting point, some useful resources can be found here.
· Be mindful of any unconscious bias you may have in your decision-making and make a point to regularly challenge yourself and your assumptions.
Communicate
· Take a moment to reflect on how your journal speaks to its authors, reviewers and readers. Use inclusive and bias-free language in all correspondence, including submission system templates and what’s written on the journal website.
· If commissioning or recruiting guest editors, reflect on the diversity of those you reach out to and how you reach out to them. Consider posting open calls to reach the widest pool of candidates.
Represent
· Diverse content begins with diverse reviewers, please consider the background, gender identity, ethnicity, and location of those you invite. This in-turn will encourage more diverse submissions.
· Your editorial board must encompass voices from all backgrounds. Ask members to nominate colleagues from under-represented groups and consider offering mentoring for junior academics.
Adjust
· Remember that many authors will have English as their second language so consider the quality of the research, rather than the language. SAGE offers professional language editing via our SAGE Author Services.
· Some authors may be neurodiverse or have disabilities that may require some adjustments. Be mindful of requests for telephone calls, or extensions to review or revision times, and the reasons behind them.
The final step is to recognise that it’s a process and that nothing changes overnight. The important thing is to make a commitment and to take action today! We hope that these five steps can guide you on the path to a more diverse and inclusive journal. SAGE’s Editor Gateway has a wealth of resources to support you in your journey. Check out our Taking Action on Diversity section for some more information. Remember that your SAGE contact is always there for any questions or further guidance.
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