Community Development Journal – Open Call for Journal Editor

Since 1966 the Community Development Journal (CDJ) has been the leading international journal in its field, covering a wide range of topics, reviewing significant developments and providing a forum for cutting-edge debates about theory and practice. It adopts a broad definition of community development to include policy, planning and action as they impact on the life of communities. We particularly seek to publish critically focused articles which challenge received wisdom, report and discuss innovative practices, and relate issues of community development to questions of social justice, diversity and environmental sustainability.  The Journal is published four times a year and is circulated in over eighty countries.

The CDJ’s current Editor plans to stand down as of January 2016. To ensure continuity and handover, and following a selection process in spring 2015, new editorial arrangements will be set in place by July 2015.  Between July 2015 and January 2016, it is anticipated that the current and incoming Editor(s) will work in parallel in order to ease the transition and passing on of roles.

The CDJ is now seeking applications for the role of Editor(s).  It is expected that the incoming Editor(s) will share our commitment to the CDJ’s values and mission, and to the on-going development and enhancement of the journal itself.  It is likely that Editor(s) will be UK based though candidates from other locations may make a case as to why they feel it would be possible to meet the demands of the editorial role from another location.   The Editor(s) should have an outstanding knowledge of community development and a commitment to ensuring that the Journal retains its unique focus on providing a critically reflective and contextual account of the theory and practice of community development as it is practised and understood internationally.  The Editor(s) will work with an engaged and highly participatory Editorial Board and International Advisory Board.

The CDJ Board is open to different editorial models and invites applicants to state, in their application letters, their preferences in that regard.  For example, the following models will be considered:

  • Sole Editor with contracted administrative support
  • A model of co-editorship – with a maximum of two editors with contracted administrative support
  • Managing editor with Associate Editor.

Current remuneration for the Editor role is appropriate to the role, responsibilities and work undertaken. This will be discussed on application, and may be negotiable, within limits, according to the circumstances of the applicant.

The initial term of office will be for three years.

Contacts: A detailed Job Description is available on request. Prospective applicants are invited to send a written expression of interest, detailing their suitability for the position, along with a CV to: Ruth Pearce, Ruth.Pearce@warwick.ac.uk and /or Rosie Meade, r.meade@ucc.ie

Applications should be submitted by: Friday, February 27th 2015.

EVENT: Community Development Society Conference

19-22 July 2015

Lexington, Kentucky, USA

The theme of the 2015 CDS Conference is Creativity and Culture: Community Development Approaches for Strengthening Health, Environment, Economic Vibrancy, Social Justice and Democracy.

The deadline for submissions is the 31st January 2015.

For more information, and to submit an abstract online, go to the CDS website.

International task force to map community development training programmes and national networks

At its October 2014 meeting, the international Board of the IACD agreed to set up a task group, chaired by Vice President, Stewart Murdoch, to map, country by country community development training programmes and national networks that support development practitioners.

This will be funded as a legacy from the Community is the answer conference, held in Glasgow in June 2014.

Research interns will be appointed in December, to undertake the research mapping, which we hope to complete by July 2015. 

Read more on the IACD website.