Call for Editors: Journal of the History of Sexuality

The Journal of the History of Sexuality is seeking new editors. The JHS, which was founded in 1990 and is published by the University of Texas Press, is the oldest journal devoted to the history of sexuality and publishes three issues per calendar year. It is currently edited by Ishita Pande (Queen’s University) and Nick Syrett (University of KansasUniversity of Wisconsin). Its book review editor is Steven Maynard (Queen’s University).

We are seeking an editor or editorial team willing to serve for a five-year term, with the possibility of renewal. Candidates may apply individually to be book review editor or the book review editor could be part of a pre-assembled editorial team based at one university or multiple universities. In short, we are open to multiple configurations of editors and seek to fill both positions: editor(s) and book review editor(s).

The JHS currently operates via a subvention from Queen’s University that pays for the labor of an editorial assistant (currently a graduate student in history who works 220 hours per year). In addition, both editors receive course releases from their home institutions. We expect that the successful editor or editorial team will negotiate a similar arrangement with their home institution(s).

In addition, the University of Texas Press is prepared to contribute $6,500 toward the cost of hiring an editorial assistant. Further specifications from the University of Texas Press:

• The term, preferably five years, would be a signed agreement between each editor and UT Press.
• UT Press financially supports access to peer review systems like OJS or Scholastica.
• UT Press provides a Production Editor to determine the production schedule for each issue.
• The UT Press Production Editor will secure, schedule, and oversee the services of designers, copyeditors, desktop publishers or typesetters, proofreaders, printers, and distributors, as required to produce the Journal at a high-quality standard.

The basic duties of the JHS Editor are:

• reviewing articles as they are submitted and deciding whether they should go for peer review. This can involve consultation with a member of our editorial board.
• managing the peer review process through the online OJS system
• editing articles for clarity, content, and argumentation
• answering queries from prospective authors and special issue editors
• ensuring that authors submit illustrations and permissions to publish text and illustrations
• coordinating with book review editor(s)
• coordinating special issues with outside editors (at the discretion of the editor and editorial board)
• maintaining contact with our editorial board and utilizing editorial board expertise in vetting initial submissions.

We hope that the new editor(s) will begin duties in January 2026, though the current editors will continue in their duties through that spring. Because we have built up a queue of articles to be published, we do not anticipate that the new editors will be responsible for submitting a full issue until later in 2026. Issues are due to the publisher every March, July, and October.

The basic duties of the Book Review Editor include:

• Identify new and forthcoming books in the global field of the history of sexuality.
• Invite and secure reviewers; establish submission deadlines; maintain communication with and support reviewers through the timely submission of reviews, including deadline reminders.
• Arrange with publishers to send review copies to reviewers and maintain contacts with publishers/publicity personnel in the field.
• Edit reviews, in collaboration with authors, for clarity, argument, and JHS house style.
• Prepare each issue’s set of reviews (between eight and ten reviews per issue) for submission according to publication deadlines three times a year.
• Assist the journal’s editorial assistant in producing the “Books of Critical Interest” section for each issue.
• Work closely with the journal’s production editor during the production process.
• Correct page proofs for each issue’s set of reviews.
• Send tear sheets of published reviews to publishers.
• Send a list of books available for review to JHS editorial board members, each of whom contributes one review per volume.

The new book review editor will begin inviting reviewers in January 2026, with the new editor’s first set of reviews due in July 2026. To facilitate a smooth transition and to assist the new book review editor, the new and current review editor will overlap between January and March 2026.

All current editors would be more than happy to answer questions. Please email the current editors (pande@queensu.ca and nsyrett@wisc.edu) or book review editor (jhsreviews@queensu.ca) with questions.

Statement of interest and applications (including relevant experience) should be addressed to the current editors at the email addresses above by September 30, 2025. The application must include a letter of support from the host institution (usually a department Head or Associate Dean) outlining the support that will be available to the editor(s). This would likely include a course release and some support for an editorial assistant. The current assistant is funded for 220 hours each year at the rate fixed by the host institution.