Dear Colleagues,
We are thrilled to assume the editorship of PS: Political Science & Politics for the four-year term that began on September 1, 2022. We thank the American Political Science Association (APSA) and its officers and Council for their vote of confidence in giving us this honor and opportunity. The journal would not be what it is without the support and hard work of the PS Editorial Board.
As we move forward, we are fortunate that we can rely on the able support and guidance of managing editor, Marah Schlingensiepen, and our three student editorial assistants: Beth Seagroves, Phoebe Dias, and Cynthia Wang. Most important, we thank the outgoing editors, Phillip Ardoin and Paul Gronke, for their outstanding stewardship of the journal during the past eight years. They succeeded in raising the profile of PS to make it a force in political science by publishing innovative and cutting-edge research from various perspectives.
Some changes are coming to the structure of APSA’s flagship journals, and the new editorial team wants to capitalize on them to further improve the impact of research in PS. APSA has decided to move to completely electronic versions of these journals. In addition, “The Association” section previously included in PS now is in Political Science Today. The change in the journal content will allow PS to focus on its role as a premier outlet for peer-reviewed political science research.
Going forward (and continuing the policy of the previous editors), the new editorial team is committed to publishing only peer-reviewed, original research in the pages of PS on various topics that are relevant to political scientists and researchers in allied fields. Building on the previous PS editors’ efforts, we continue to encourage submissions and symposia regarding research on political science pedagogy.
We also intend to continue developing and inviting peer-reviewed symposia compiled in response to or in anticipation of political events in the United States and abroad. However, we also will solicit more research contributions and reviews from political scientists who are working outside of the academy, thereby making the journal more accessible and interesting to this wider audience. Furthermore, we seek to position PS as a premier outlet for scientific research on how social science works. Historically, PS has always been a preferred outlet for commentary on the state of our discipline, including survey research on political scientists. This presents an excellent foothold to shape PS into a high-impact outlet for “science about science.”
An electronic journal provides more accessibility and facilitates what we view as our core mission: the representation of all political scientists at every type of institution across the world, whether students, academics, or practitioners. A primary goal of our inclusive strategy is to welcome works authored by and reflecting the research priorities of underrepresented groups, those working outside of the academy, and scholars residing outside of the United States. An electronic journal (combined with the enhanced social media presence we envision) also provides the opportunity to broaden our international reach to attract scholars from the Global South, as well as those who may have perceived PS as primarily an outlet for publishing on US politics. Our new Editorial Board, announced at the APSA Annual Meeting in Montreal last September, reflects this change in focus. Also, please check out our redesigned, more user-friendly website that reflects the changes in mission and focus that we have made.
We are excited to have the opportunity to work with all of you in the next four years. As we assume our duties as the new editorial team, we are eager for input, suggestions, and—most important—submissions!
Sincerely,
Lina Benabdallah
Justin Esarey
Peter M. Siavelis
Betina Wilkinson
