SIGNS

Scope & Guideline

Illuminating Contemporary Perspectives on Gender.

Introduction

Immerse yourself in the scholarly insights of SIGNS with our comprehensive guidelines detailing its aims and scope. This page is your resource for understanding the journal's thematic priorities. Stay abreast of trending topics currently drawing significant attention and explore declining topics for a full picture of evolving interests. Our selection of highly cited topics and recent high-impact papers is curated within these guidelines to enhance your research impact.
LanguageEnglish
ISSN0097-9740
PublisherUNIV CHICAGO PRESS
Support Open AccessNo
CountryUnited States
TypeJournal
Converge1979, from 1985 to 1987, 1989, 1991, 1993, 1996, from 1998 to 2024
AbbreviationSIGNS / Signs
Frequency4 issues/year
Time To First Decision-
Time To Acceptance-
Acceptance Rate-
Home Page-
Address1427 E 60TH ST, CHICAGO, IL 60637-2954

Aims and Scopes

The journal 'SIGNS' is dedicated to exploring the intersections of gender, race, and sexuality, with a strong emphasis on feminist theory and activism. It aims to provide a platform for critical scholarship that examines the complexities of identity, power, and social justice. The journal's focus is on interdisciplinary approaches that engage with historical and contemporary issues affecting women and marginalized communities.
  1. Feminist Theory and Critique:
    The journal emphasizes the development and critique of feminist theories, exploring their implications across various social, political, and cultural contexts.
  2. Intersectionality:
    Research published in 'SIGNS' consistently addresses the intersections of gender, race, class, and sexuality, highlighting how these identities shape experiences and social dynamics.
  3. Activism and Social Justice:
    A core aim is to examine feminist activism and its role in social justice movements, particularly in relation to marginalized communities and global contexts.
  4. Historical and Contemporary Analysis:
    The journal publishes works that analyze both historical and contemporary issues facing women and gender minorities, providing a comprehensive view of the evolution of feminist thought.
  5. Global Perspectives:
    'SIGNS' seeks to include diverse global perspectives, focusing on feminist movements and experiences from various cultural and geographical contexts.
The journal 'SIGNS' has seen a rise in certain themes that reflect current societal issues and evolving feminist discourse. These emerging areas highlight the journal's responsiveness to contemporary challenges faced by women and marginalized groups.
  1. Transnational Feminism:
    There is a growing emphasis on transnational feminist perspectives that explore global interconnectedness and solidarity among women across borders.
  2. Racial Justice and Feminism:
    Recent publications increasingly address the intersection of racial justice and feminist activism, reflecting a commitment to tackling systemic racism alongside gender inequality.
  3. Digital Feminism:
    The rise of digital activism and its implications for feminist movements is a trending theme, exploring how technology shapes feminist discourse and mobilization.
  4. Care Politics and Labor:
    Emerging discussions around the politics of care, including caregiving labor and its implications for gender and race, signify a significant trend in current feminist scholarship.
  5. Mental Health and Feminism:
    There is an increasing focus on the intersections of mental health and feminist theory, examining how societal pressures impact women's mental health and well-being.

Declining or Waning

While 'SIGNS' continues to engage with a wide range of topics, certain themes appear to be losing prominence over recent years. This decline may reflect broader shifts in feminist discourse or changing societal contexts.
  1. Traditional Gender Roles:
    Papers focusing on traditional gender roles and domesticity have decreased, indicating a shift towards more complex discussions of identity and resistance against normative structures.
  2. Essentialist Feminism:
    There seems to be a waning interest in essentialist views of feminism, as the journal increasingly embraces intersectional and non-binary perspectives.
  3. Western-Centric Feminism:
    Research that primarily emphasizes Western feminist perspectives is becoming less common, as the journal seeks to amplify voices and experiences from non-Western contexts.
  4. Historical Feminist Movements:
    While historical analyses remain important, there is a noticeable decline in papers focused solely on early feminist movements, as contemporary issues and intersectional approaches gain more attention.
  5. Individualistic Approaches to Feminism:
    There is a decline in papers that promote individualistic narratives of feminism, with a growing focus on collective action and community-based resistance.

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