OSU sociology professors named new editors of prominent journal

Tuesday, October 17, 2023

Media Contact: Elizabeth Gosney | CAS Marketing and Communications Manager | 405-744-7497 | egosney@okstate.edu

Drs. Andrew Fullerton, Michael Long, Rachel Schmitz and Kelley Sittner of the Department of Sociology at Oklahoma State University have been selected as the new editors of "Social Problems," the official journal of the Society for the Study of Social Problems. They will begin their tenure in June 2024.

"Social Problems" was founded in 1953 to publish original works relating to sociology, its theoretical and  methodological developments, and research to better understand social processes.

The process of selecting the OSU professors as editors involved multiple stages of assessment in close collaboration with SSSP. The candidates submitted their application materials in January 2023, detailing their scholarly accomplishments and interest in serving as co-editors. After being identified as finalists, they underwent rigorous interviews with SSSP leadership, culminating in their official appointment in August. 

"The four of us had already been working together under the leadership of Dr. Long to develop the Center for Insecurity and Inequality Research at OSU, so we were motivated to apply and continue our scholarly growth together,” Schmitz said. “Drs. Long and Fullerton also had experience serving as co-editors of another sociology journal, ‘The Sociological Quarterly,’ so we were in a great position to apply." 

Being editors for “Social Problems” means the four professors will be responsible for handling all submissions to the journal from June 1, 2024 through May 31, 2027. This process includes the initial decision regarding whether a manuscript is suitable for peer review, the selection of reviewers and the evaluation of manuscripts. They will also lead a Meet the Editors session at the SSSP conference every August, during which they will discuss the editorial and review process with conference attendees.

Having OSU representatives involved with “Social Problems” will have a significant impact on the Department of Sociology and the College of Arts and Sciences while furthering the land-grant mission of OSU. 

"While ‘Social Problems’ publishes papers from many subfields of sociology, articles will often focus on issues that overlap with OSU’s land-grant mission,” Long said. “These include health disparities, food, poverty and insecurity, community impacts of energy development and identification of and strategies for reducing various social inequalities.”

The four professors are excited to continue the legacy of publishing the high-quality sociological scholarship that has characterized “Social Problems,” as well as working closely with and being supported by SSSP. They are also looking forward to innovating the review process to increase the timeliness of decisions and working together as an editorial team to publish outstanding issues.

Learn more about the Society for the Study of Social Problems on the SSSP website, including the society's announcement about the OSU professors' appointments.

Dr. Andrew S. Fullerton

Dr. Fullerton earned his Ph.D. in sociology from the University of Connecticut. He is an expert in the areas of work, stratification, political sociology and quantitative methods, having published 40 peer-reviewed scholarly articles and co-authored a book on ordered regression models. His research on job insecurity and part-time work has been supported by the National Science Foundation.

Dr. Michael A. Long

Dr. Long earned his Ph.D. in sociology from Colorado State University and currently serves as the director of the Center for Insecurity and Inequality Research at OSU. He has authored seven books and over 90 journal articles and book chapters, focusing on environmental sociology, green criminology, sustainability, environmental inequality, energy, food insecurity, public health and quantitative methodology. Long has received research funding from prestigious organizations like the U.S. National Science Foundation, U.S. Department of Agriculture and the British Academy.

Dr. Rachel M. Schmitz

Dr. Schmitz completed her Ph.D. in sociology at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. She has authored over 60 peer-reviewed scholarly articles in the areas of health and social inequalities across gender, sexuality, race and ethnicity. Schmitz is actively pursuing National Institutes of Health research grant funding and serves on the editorial board for the journal ‘Society and Mental Health.’

Dr. Kelley J. Sittner

Dr. Sittner holds a Ph.D. in sociology from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Her research primarily centers on health disparities among North American Indigenous peoples, with a focus on substance use, mental health and physical health using community-based participatory methods. Sittner is a co-PI on the Healing Pathways project, funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse.

Story By: Allie Putman | CAS Graduate Assistant | allie.putman@okstate.edu