Journal of American Studies (Cambridge University Press) 

Call for New Co-Editors or Editor, and Associate Editors

Applications are invited from British Association for the positions of Co-Editors or Editor, and two Associate Editors of the Journal of American Studies. The current Co-Editors and Associate Editors will be moving on from JAS effective 1 January 2023. 

The Journal of American Studies is one of the most important area studies journals across the world. It is genuinely inter-, cross- and multi-disciplinary and attracts submissions from academics across the world. The Editor(s) and Associate Editors play crucial roles in determining the Journal's direction and contents. BAAS is therefore keen to appoint individuals who can demonstrate the appropriate level of experience and commitment to ensure that the Journal builds on its reputation for publishing innovative and challenging scholarship of the highest quality.

The Editor(s) has responsibility for the overall running of he Journal, including (but not limited to) screening initial submissions, appointing peer reviewers, adjudicating across reports, commissioning special issues, writing quarterly and annual reports, liaising with CUP's production and editorial teams, line-managing the Journal's editorial assistant and editorial manager, liaising with BAAS about the appointment of editorial board members, promoting the Journal at national and international events, inaugurating new initiatives and determining the direction and overall intellectual vision of the Journal. 

Associate Editors are responsible for commissioning work for what has traditionally been known as ‘the reviews section’. This section includes book reviews, roundtables, exchanges, review essays, and other critical writing and consists of both a print version and a lively online version. The section is currently being reshaped, as outlined in this editorial in the December 2021 issue, to include formats beyond reviews of single academic texts, review essays, and roundtables. Candidates are encouraged to read the editorial outlining the impetus behind these changes.

The Associate Editors are also responsible for line-managing the Editorial Assistant (Reviews) and maintaining relationships with publishers as well as the production team at CUP. 

BAAS is committed to fostering, cultivating, and preserving a culture of diversity and inclusion. It wishes to attract applications from candidates who can demonstrate a commitment to promoting equality within the American Studies field and who will work to protect and enhance JAS’s reputation for promoting equality, diversity, and inclusivity across rank, intellectual profile, and background.

All positions will formally commence on 1 January 2023 and last for four years. Each successful candidate will start a ‘shadowing’ process in autumn 2022, by arrangement with the current Editors, Sinéad Moynihan and Nick Witham. Each post receives a salary appropriate to its responsibilities, with the JAS Editor or Co-Editors also receiving a share of the profits BAAS receives from the Journal’s subscriptions. In 2021, the Co-Editors shared a base salary of £6,775.50 (excluding profit share), and the Associate Editors each received £2,217.42.

If you accept the post, you will be a UK taxpayer (even if you are living outside the UK for all or most of the year) and must be compliant with the following criteria: https://www.gov.uk/legal-right...

Applicants for all posts should send (i) a summary CV, (ii) a vision statement of up to 500 words, and (iii) a letter in support of your application as email attachments to Chair of the BAAS Publications Subcommittee, Dr. Rachele Dini [racheledini@yahoo.com] and Dr. Kathryn Gray [Kathryn.gray@plymouth.ac.uk].

The closing date for applications is 23^rd February 2022. Interviews will be held online during, or in the week(s) following, the annual BAAS conference 21st-23rd April 2022.

For further information on the positions, applicants are invited to contact the current Editors, Sinéad Moynihan and Nick Witham (jas@baas.ac.uk) or Associate Editors, Zalfa Feghali (zf31@le.ac.uk) and Ben Offiler (b.offiler@shu.ac.uk)