Call for Papers - Organization Theory in Community Contexts Special Issue in the Journal of Community Psychology

[Announcement from SCRA-L]

Call for Papers

Organization Theory in Community Contexts

Proposals due by December 30, 2013

A special issue of the Journal of Community Psychology
Guest editor:   Neil Boyd, Bucknell University

In recent years, scholars have fostered an increased level of attention to the intersection of organization studies and community psychology.  A number of events have marked a renewed interest in the intersection including special issues, conference symposia and presentations, and single article publications. 

A recent meta-analysis of the organization studies literature in community psychology demonstrated that the number of studies increased which were located in organizational settings and those which utilized organizational constructs.   However, there remains an opportunity to apply organization theory in community contexts.  

Therefore, this special issue aims to advance the literature on organization theory in community psychology and in community contexts.   Proposals (up to 750 words) for manuscripts are invited which address the aim.

Community psychologists study the reciprocal relationships between individuals and the social system which constitute community contexts.   Community contexts include neighborhoods, towns, regions, self-organizing groups, grass-roots organizations, institutional systems (healthcare, education, corrections, welfare, etc…), community organizations, human service organizations, non-profits, public agencies, NGOs, and many others.   In addition, community psychologists seek to understand the quality of life of individuals, communities, organizations, and society. Their aim is to enhance quality of life through collaborative research and action.

The special issue is open to Organization Theory at all levels (Multi-level, Macro, Mid-Level, and Micro Organization Theories).  

Multi-level theory is applicable given the fact that many community psychologists orient toward ecological systems-like thinking, and believe that solutions to social problems are rooted at various levels of analysis, and in different parts of a system.

Macro-level theory is specifically applicable to large institutions and organizations in explaining a variety of organizational or community context outcomes.

Mid-level theory is useful in helping community psychologists understand group-level phenomena in community and organizational contexts and functional unit approaches in organizational settings. 

Micro-level theory can be helpful in understanding particular individual behaviors within community settings.

Manuscripts may be conceptual, empirical studies, or praxis-oriented pieces, but all must hold promise for linking organization theory to community psychology. Thus, proposals should include a description of how the manuscript makes these links.

Submission process: Authors should submit proposals (up to 750 words) by email to the Guest Editor of the Special Issue no later than December 30, 2013.  The Guest Editor will review the proposals and invite authors within 4 weeks to submit a full manuscript, subject to peer review and consistent with JoCP guidelines for reviewers. All submissions should be in English and proposals should state the type of article proposed as described in the JoCP Instructions for Authors available on the Journal website (http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/10.1002/(ISSN)1520-6629/homepage/ForAuthors.html).

The deadline for submission of manuscripts is June 30, 2014. Initial acceptance and Online publication is anticipated as early as Fall 2014/Spring 2015. Send proposal submissions or inquiries to the Guest Editor: Neil Boyd at Neil.Boyd@Bucknell.edu.

Please share this call for proposals with interested colleagues.

Thanks,

Neil

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Neil Boyd, Ph.D

Associate Professor of Management

C. Graydon and Mary E. Rogers Faculty Fellow

School of Management

Bucknell University

Lewisburg, Pennsylvania 17837