Call for proposals for Special Issue by Guest Editors
Issue 1, 2028
| Dear ~~first_name~~,
Health Sociology Review (HSR) is an international peer-reviewed journal, which publishes high quality conceptual and empirical research in the sociology of health, illness and medicine. Published three times per year, the journal prioritises original research papers. It is ranked Q1 in both Health (Social Science) and Sociology & Political Science in the SJR journal rankings. More information about the journal is available here.
Each year the journal publishes a special issue on a matter of central importance to health sociology and related fields, edited by guest editors. Previous special issues have addressed topics around Indigenous knowledges, healthy food practices, violence against women, temporality, posthuman perspectives, trans health, sex tech, COVID-19 and self-tracking.Y ou can view a list of the past special issues here.
The Editors of HSR encourage sociologists to submit proposals to develop and edit special issues exploring new ideas and the cutting edge of their field of expertise. We particularly welcome proposals for special issues with a focus on novel empirical domains, theoretical frameworks and/or methodologies in the sociology of health and illness (for example, the intersection of health sociology and climate change or AI).
Please note, to allow time for the reviews to be received and revisions to be completed, special issue authors need to work to a deadline for the initial full manuscript submission in April 2027, with final copy by end of November 2027.
Papers featured in special issues are subject to the normal process of peer review. Selection of papers and coordination of the peer review process will be the responsibility of the guest editors. Papers may be selected either on the basis of invitation or via a general ‘call for papers’.
Proposals for guest edited issues of Health Sociology Review should address the following:
- Contact details and brief biography for each guest editor;
- Sociological theme. This should be a 300-word summary of major ideas and themes;
- Identification of publication strategy. This should outline international contacts, and key researchers in the field that you will contact requesting they advertise the Special issue/and or submit papers;
- Division of labour of guest editorial team: outline of lead editor, who will write editorial, handling of papers and referee process; and
- If your proposal for a guest edited issue is accepted a one-page ‘call for papers’ flyer will be required.
Note: if guest editors would like to submit a refereed paper for publication in the issue, they must follow the Committee of Publication Ethics’ Codes of Conduct and Best Practice Guidelines for journal editors when assessing their own papers for publication in the special issue.
Special Issue 2028 proposals will be reviewed by the incoming editorial team. One member of the editorial team will continue to work with the successful guest editors throughout the editorial process to bring the Special Issue to print.
Please submit expressions of interest to guest edit the February 2028 Special Issue to A/Prof Katherine Kenny, Editor in Chief, by 31st August, 2026 via hsr@tasa.org.au.
If you have any questions or you would like to discuss your ideas, please contact A/Prof Katherine Kenny via hsr@tasa.org.au.
Editorial Team
Editor in Chief:
A/Prof Katherine Kenny - University of Sydney
Associate Editors:
Professor Jakelin Troy, University of Sydney
Dr Sophie Lewis, University of Sydney
Dr Adrian Farrugia, La Trobe University
Dr Benjamin Hankel, Western Sydney University
Dr Brendan Churchill, University of Melbourne
Dr Kerryn Drysdale, University of New South Wales
Senior Editorial Advisors:
Prof Karen Willis - Victoria University
A/Prof Sarah MacLean - La Trobe University
Managing Editor:
Sally Daly, TASA
| | Katherine Kenny is Associate Professor of Sociology and Criminology, Co-Director of the Sydney Centre for Healthy Societies, and ARC DECRA Principal Research Fellow in the School of Social and Political Sciences at The University of Sydney. Katherine is also the Editor in Chief of Health Sociology Review (2023-2026), and a former University of Sydney SOAR Prize recipient. She gained her PhD in Sociology and Science Studies from the University of California, San Diego in 2015. Prior to joining The University of Sydney, she held positions at the Practical Justice Initiative and Centre for Social Research in Health at UNSW Sydney. Her research draws on social theory and qualitative methodologies to better understand how health, illness and care are understood, 'treated', experienced and made meaningful in clinical contexts and in everyday life. Read on... | | | |
Health Sociology Review is an international peer-reviewed journal, which publishes high quality conceptual and empirical research in the sociology of health, illness and medicine.
Published three times per year, the journal prioritises original research papers, papers that advance theory and methodology in the field of health sociology and special issues on matters of central importance to health sociology and related fields.
Review articles are published upon occasion, but must extend conceptual understanding in health sociology, not just review what is known about a particular topic.
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