Special Issues
Hypatia: A Journal of Feminist Philosophy is a quarterly journal that typically publishes one or two thematic special issues each year, in addition to regular (open submission) issues. The topics for special issues and their guest editors are selected on the basis of a proposal review process by the Editors and members of other Hypatia boards.
If you are interested in guest editing a special issue, please first contact the Editors to discuss the topic you are considering and the availability of openings for special issues in the journal’s publication schedule. The Editors will provide you with a set of “Guidelines for Guest Editors” that outlines what is involved in editing a guest issue. If your topic seems viable for a special issue, there is space available within a reasonable time period, and the role of guest editor is feasible for you, the Editors will invite you to draft a detailed proposal for consideration by the Board. Please also see the examples of proposals that have been accepted under the current review process.
Your proposal should include:
- a narrative that explains why there ought to be a special issue of Hypatia on the topic you propose, and an account of the kind of work you would expect to include in the issue;
- a list of the feminist philosophers and theorists who are working on this subject or in this field who might contribute to the issue and/or review submitted manuscripts;
- a draft of the call for papers for the issue and a list of places where the call could be posted or published;
- a short 3-5 page C.V. and a statement about your qualifications for, and interest in, editing such a special issue.
After your proposal has completed the review process, the Editors will provide you with a decision and feedback as quickly as possible. Please submit your proposal and all supporting documents to the Managing Editor at: hypatia@cambridge.org.
Clusters
Hypatia periodically publishes thematic “clusters” that make up a partial issue. These typically include 3 to 5 regular length papers (up to 10,000 words) or up to 6 or 8 shorter “Musings” (up to 4,000 words) on a particular issue or clearly specified topic. In some cases clusters take shape spontaneously; we receive a number of independently submitted papers on a common theme and, if the referees recommend accepting them, we will try to publish them together. More often clusters originate in conference sessions or workshops, or they arise from discussions among a network of corresponding authors.
Proposed Clusters
If you would like to propose a cluster, please assemble a set of papers that address your focal theme and ask the authors to submit them to Hypatia, mentioning in the cover letter that the paper is connected to the proposed cluster. At the same time, please email the editorial team at hypatia@cambridge.org letting us know about your proposed cluster, listing the papers that are being submitted and offering a brief rationale explaining how they fit together.
We will review individual papers submitted for a proposed cluster or symposium in the same way as we do open submissions; if accepted, we will make a decision about whether or not to publish them together as a cluster and contact you with this decision. In some cases, for example if only a few of the papers are accepted, it might be more appropriate for them to be published individually. If the papers are to appear as a cluster, we will invite you to provide a brief introduction.
While we cannot make a commitment to publish a cluster in advance, we welcome the opportunity to review thematically integrated sets of papers. Please contact us at hypatia@cambridge.org if you have any questions.
Found Clusters
Periodically, the Hypatia editors find that they have several manuscripts under review that are thematically convergent, and may undertake to publish them together as a “found cluster.” All the manuscripts considered for such a cluster will be reviewed in the normal way and accepted on same the basis as any other open submission. If an accepted manuscript is a good fit for an emerging cluster but its publication would have to be deferred longer than normal to be included in the cluster, the editors will consult with the author about scheduling options. Such manuscripts will be published online, on Early View, typically within 4 months of acceptance, so this is only a matter of deferring print publication.
Special Issues
Clusters
