DEADLINE EXTENDED January 15, 2015
Sex Roles: A Journal of Research invites manuscripts for a Special Issue “The Past, Present, and Future of Masculinity, Femininity and Gender: Honoring Feminist Scholar Sandra L. Bem (1944 – 2014)”
Guest Editors: Emily Keener (Slippery Rock University) and Clare M. Mehta (Emmanuel College, Children’s Hospital Boston/Harvard Medical School)
The Past, Present, and Future of Masculinity, Femininity and Gender: Honoring Feminist Scholar Sandra L. Bem (1944 – 2014)
It is the rare scholar whose work, once considered revolutionary, continues to be influential and generative decades later. Established and new gender researchers alike continue to draw from Sandra Bem’s influential work on sex roles, androgyny, and Gender Schema Theory. It has been nearly 40 years since Sandra Bem was recognized in 1976 with the American Psychological Association’s Distinguished Scientific Award for an Early Career Contribution to Psychology for her work on sex roles and androgyny. Her work in this area lead to the ground-breaking theory and accompanying measure, The Bem Sex Role Inventory (Bem, 1974), asserting that masculinity and femininity exist on two separate continuums rather than a single bipolar and opposing continuum. Her breakthrough in this area lead to the concept of “psychological androgyny”---a term she coined to describe those who are low or high on both masculinity and femininity or who are non-sex typed. Her theoretical and empirical work in this area also earned her the Distinguished Publication Award of the Association for Women in Psychology in 1977. Dr. Bem continued to make an impact on the study of gender with her much cited Gender Schema Theory suggesting that gender roles or sex typing develop from schematic processing where children organize information about the self based on (or through the lens of) gender (Bem,1981). In 1993 she built upon Gender Schema Theory in her book “Lenses of Gender” which won a number of awards including the Best Book in Psychology from the Association of American publishers and, for the second time, the Distinguished Publication Award from the Association for Women in Psychology. This short paragraph does not do justice to honor Sandra Bem’s contributions to the field of gender and psychology.
On behalf of Sex Roles, to honor the pioneering feminist theorist and researcher, Sandra L. Bem, we invite manuscript submissions highlighting the past, present, and future of Dr. Bem’s contribution to the field of gender and masculinity and femininity. Submissions from established scholars are welcomed, but we especially encourage early-career gender researchers to submit their work. In particular, we are seeking original research using, building upon, or applying Dr. Bem’s theory and research in new and innovative ways. Submissions using a variety of gender role measures will be considered – using the Bem Sex Role Inventory is not required. Submissions might also elaborate on, respond to, or revise existing theories, models, and measurements from Bem’s work. Original empirical work is preferred; review papers will be considered. Authors submitting qualitative investigations should consult the guidelines for publishing such work in the journal before doing so (http://www.springer.com/11199/).
Authors who plan to submit manuscripts are asked to do so by January 15, 2015 for guaranteed consideration for the special issue. Later submissions may also be considered. Manuscripts should be between 25 and 40 pages, double-spaced (including title page, abstract, tables, figures and references). All manuscripts should be prepared in accordance with the editorial guidelines of Sex Roles (http://www.springer.com/11199/) and should be submitted via the online submission site (http://www.editorialmanager.com/sers/). Please select the article type “Sp. Iss. – Honoring Sandra Bem” from the drop down menu, and indicate in the notes to the editorial office that the paper is to be considered as a contribution to the special issue “Honoring Feminist Scholar Sandra L. Bem (1944 –2014).” All papers will be peer reviewed. For further inquiries, please contact Emily Keener (Emily.Keener@sru.edu) or Clare M. Mehta (mehtac@emmanuel.edu).