OSU professor named next editor-in-chief of sociology journal
Thursday, January 4, 2024
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Dr. Jonathan Coley, an associate professor of sociology at Oklahoma State University, was selected to be the next editor-in-chief of The Sociological Quarterly starting March 1 because of his outstanding work in the field.
“Engagements with journals in this capacity and of this caliber are a high honor,” said Dr. Tamara Mix, Department of Sociology head. “They enhance a faculty member’s ability to network across the discipline, facilitate personal and collaborative research opportunities, and place Dr. Coley at the cutting edge of new research to bring into his courses and share with his students.”
The Sociological Quarterly is one of the leading and longest running generalist journals in sociology in the nation. The journal covers all areas of the field and publishes work within both qualitative and quantitative research.
“It’s traditionally been a really vibrant space for sociological scholarship,” Coley said.
In addition to being a professor, Coley also serves as the graduate program director for sociology. He said the journal will employ one Ph.D. student full time as a managing editor to help gain insight into the publishing process.
The Quarterly has been in publication since 1939 under the name The Midwest Sociologist, before switching to its current name in 1959. Coley currently serves as the deputy editor of the peer-reviewed academic journal, with two fellow OSU sociology professors, Dr. Michael Long and Dr. Andrew Fullerton, serving as editors-in-chief. Coley will serve his term until 2028.
“I’m really looking for manuscripts that advance the field theoretically and methodologically, and also offer insights into some of the most pressing issues in our society,” Coley said.
For the past four years, Coley and his fellow OSU professors have achieved one of the lowest turnaround times for peer-reviewed journals in the sociology discipline. Coley said they have reduced the amount of time to make manuscript decisions from an average of three months down to 45 days.
“We’ve been able to maintain these low turnaround times, while also successfully securing reviews from some of the leading sociologists in the discipline,” Coley said. “I hope to continue our recent success and give authors really timely and high-quality feedback on their manuscripts.
“I’ve always really enjoyed working for journals and being able to give back to the scholarly community that has invested so much in me.”
Story By: Mallory Pool, CAS Intern | mallory.pool@okstate.edu