Perspectives on the Editor’s Mentoring-for-Democracy Role in Publication

Abstract

This article describes perspectives on the role and responsibility of editors in mentoring authors through the publishing process. Our perspectives as journal editors are framed by our experiences as university professors involved in editing numerous academic bodies of work within educational studies (e.g., performing functions as editors and editorial board members, peer-reviewing manuscripts). Our review essay is written with the goal of promoting large-scale positive change within the journal editorial culture and greater understanding on the part of editors and reviewers, as well as authors who submit their work for publication review. We provide data initiated in two American Educational Research Association sessions, in 2008 and 2010, framed by the ideals of democracy foundational a democracy-focused journal for augmenting our exploration. Also included are four vignettes from journal editors whose perspectives overlap and yet are idiosyncratic with regard their own reflections and lived experiences. This discussion disseminates new research and thought with the prospect of enhancing democratic opportunity through editorial mentoring. As context for self-investigation, editorial board representatives of several journals have reflected on the nature of disciplinary work that might otherwise not immediately reveal the nature of their underlying democratic pragmatism. For example, although public educational institutions rely heavily on democratic thought, other institutions whose policies have far-reaching implications for K-12 students (e.g., health, government policy) should be included in the research on democratic citizenship (Mullen, 2011). To garner such breadth and in recognition of multiple genres and the who might report these, here we discuss how those involved in disseminating new research and thought might enhance democratic opportunity through editorial mentoring. We build on what Mullen et al. (2008) shared as the rationale for a 2008 American Educational Research Association (AERA) editors' panel presentation: In part, editors can ensure a broad dialogue by publicly calling for sharing civic responsibility clearly explain their publication mission and purposeful advancement of scholars' work.... editors will discuss how the expansion of their mission has now impacted their response submitted manuscripts and the framework in which journal editors have traditionally worked, (p. 3) We also reflect on ideas from this panel for graduate students by re-entering a dialogue specific the journal Learning For Democracy (LFD) (e.g., the advancement of democratic thought as outcomes for teaching and learning) (Pryor& Brown, 2008). We begin this review essay by discussing the importance of ideas that Popper (1945) expressed that posit linkages between knowledge and a free society. Popper's ideas, foundational LFD, were explored only initially in a 2010 keynote address the AERA SIG Democratic Citizenship in Education. Certainly, the calls for social and personal independence-dependence proliferate as ecologies of thought and practice (e.g., the 2010 AERA conference theme) are considered central any discussion about democratic citizenship. The importance of Popper's philosophical ideas and the relationship of these a free and democratic society offer us additional insights. As a second step in framing this discussion, we pursue possibilities for applying democratic thought a practical venue--editorial scholarly service. Our primary goal is further opportunities for scholars engage in discussions central the publication and dissemination of their research. As a framework for this paper, we address the AERA Democratic Citizenship in Education Special Interest Group's (SIG) mission, which is to promote democratic citizenship-development research in K-12 classrooms and foster interdependence among citizenship-democratic researchers (News release, 2010). …