Disability Studies Quarterly: Call for Editor(s) – 2026
Disability Studies Quarterly (DSQ) is the flagship publication of the Society for Disability Studies (SDS). It is an interdisciplinary, multidisciplinary, and international journal of interest to social scientists, humanists, artists, disability rights advocates, and others concerned with questions of interest to people with disabilities and the disability community. It represents the full range of methods, epistemologies, perspectives, and content that encompass the field of disability studies. DSQ is committed to developing theoretical and practical knowledge about disability and to promoting full participation of disabled people in society. The first paper version of the DSQ was printed in 1980. Today, DSQ is published in an online, open access format hosted by The Ohio State University Libraries.
The SDS Board of Directors seeks to appoint a new editor or editorial team for a term of four [2026-2029] years, ideally beginning on April 1, 2026 and ending December 31, 2029. This period includes a 6-month onboarding process under the current editorial team or SDS Board Members and a 6-month offboarding period with new editors appointed in 2028. The editor or editorial team will work with SDS and the DSQ Editorial Board, and collaborate with The Ohio State University Libraries team. The editor or editorial team will be responsible for putting together a new editorial board under their direction and with input from the SDS Board of Directors.
If you are applying as part of an editorial team of more than one editor, applications must clearly articulate how resources and responsibilities would be divided across team members.
Responsibilities of the DSQ Editor include:
- Oversee and ensure the timely delivery of the journal in 4 issues per year
- Collaborate with the publication team at The OSU Libraries
- Recruit, chair, and lead the work of the Editorial Board
- Solicit, manage, and edit manuscripts
- Liaise with authors and reviewers regarding the peer review process
- Appoint and liaise with media review or special section editors
- Regularly communicate with the SDS Board of Directors, including the preparation of an annual report
- Represent and promote DSQ digitally and in-person at conferences, events, etcetera
Please Note: This is a non-stipendiary role. It is expected that the Editor’s institution would allocate ample time for editorial responsibilities in their annual workload allocation.
Qualifications: Applicants must have experience and a reputation befitting the role of lead editor of a high-profile, interdisciplinary academic journal that is accessible to readers worldwide. They should plan to continue cultivating their reputation through the journal’s ongoing success.
Applicants must demonstrate:
- Project management skills and the ability to meet deadlines
- Previous publishing and editorial experience
- Ability to recruit high quality manuscripts
- Interest in and evidence of supporting writers during the publication process and addressing authors’ and readers’ accessibility-related requirements
- Excellent organizational, networking, and communication skills
- Ability to work on a creative, dynamic, and multidisciplinary editorial and publishing team
- Remote collaboration skills
- Willingness to develop skills using online information management systems
Please submit the following application requirements for consideration:
- A Curriculum Vitae
- A 2-3 page statement of interest that explores:
- Relevant skills, qualifications, and experiences, especially those that demonstrate successful project management and a sustained commitment to large-scale projects
- Administrative resources and support (staff, supplies) afforded by the applicant’s home institution
- A description of successful team management, week-to-week operations, and workflow, including any plans for assistant-editor or graduate student support, if applicable
- Ideas for ensuring a timely workflow for the peer review process
- A vision for the future of Disability Studies Quarterly, including strategies to increase its attractiveness and high impact as the flagship journal of the field
- A letter of support from your dean or department chair, including a description of the resources that your institution will be able to provide you to support your service in this role, which may include course releases, funding for editorial staff, funding for travel to conferences to promote the journal, etc.
Application Timeline:
The application is open on a rolling deadline until January 1, 2026. The search committee and the SDS Board of Directors will review applications on a rolling basis and progress to virtual interviews with candidates. The new editor/ial team will be announced in February 2026 for an April 1, 2026 start date, at which time they will begin onboarding with the former editorial team and/or SDS board members. The ideal candidate(s) would assume full responsibility for DSQ on September 1, 2026 after an onboarding process beginning April 1, 2026, though this is negotiable.
Application Specifics:
Please submit electronic application materials, formatted as a PDF or MS Word (.docx) file, to the DSQ Editorial Search Committee by January 1, 2026 for full consideration.
Please email these materials to Amanda at amandasdsboard@disstudies.org. If you have any questions about the process, please direct them to Amanda.