Instructions for Authors

Thank you for your interest in submitting your paper with Currents. These instructions will provide an overview of our journal’s requirements and prepare you to have a smooth process through our peer review, production and publication. 

About the Journal

Currents: Journal of Diversity Scholarship for Social Change is an open access multidisciplinary journal that offers cutting-edge diversity scholarship and research to inform practitioners, leaders, policymakers, and the broader public conversation. Research can quietly inform our practice and fundamentally shape what we do, shifting toward a more equitable society in the long-term. If needed, research can also be a catalyst for new and innovative ways of thinking about - and engaging in - practice. 

Currents publishes two special issues per year, mobilizing scholars on a timely topic and building the knowledge and skill sets of the reader to create change across sectors and society.

Currents is the journal of the National Center for Institutional Diversity at the University of Michigan and is published by Michigan Publishing. Papers are distributed under the CC-BY-NC-ND Creative Commons license. 

Call for Papers 

Currents releases Call for Papers two times per year on special topics. Interested authors must respond by submitting a letter of intent. Only those letters of intent that are deemed responsive to the call will be invited to submit a manuscript. To be notified about the next call for papers, sign up here or follow us on Facebook, Twitter, or LinkedIn.

Preparing Your Paper

Currents’ papers must be structured to meet the mission of the journal – i.e. to inform and engage practitioners, policymakers, and other decision makers. As a multidisciplinary journal we do not adhere to a discipline-specific research publication structure. We offer some guidance and critical elements that lead a reader into action. The manuscript should be blinded, removing any potential indications of authorship within the text. Please follow these guidelines rather than any published articles. 

Paper Content

  • Title and abstract (no longer than 100 words) 
  • Keywords (no more than 5) 
  • Overview of the special topic (this is determined by the call of papers)
  • Significance of the issue to the audience/reader (practitioners, leaders, and policymakers)
  • Main argument, including findings from your research 
  • Recommendations or action steps to guide policy, practice, or future research (as appropriate)

Paper Standards:

  • Papers should be between 1,500 - 3,000 words with standard style (double-spaced, 12pt., Times New Roman) in a Word document.
  • Papers should follow the most recent edition of the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (APA) for writing and citations
  • We encourage tables and figures to engage the reader and support the discussion. These are not included in the word count. Tables and figures should be submitted as a separate page or separate files (e.g., .jpeg or png). If you have generated your graphics from Excel or similar programs, please include the spreadsheet as well. If you have photos you would like us to consider, please send a high-resolution, large-format version of the image. 
  • Just as our work and audiences are diverse, some papers may diverge from these standards. We ask that authors consult with the editorial team regularly in order to produce a paper that meets everyone’s goals.

Authors will be asked to provide additional information including affiliations, short bio, social media handles (if applicable), and the email address of at least one author. 

All pieces will undergo a final review by the editorial team and copyeditor. A piece may not be published or published on time if the author doesn’t follow the production timeline or if the author does not complete the piece. 

Peer Review

All papers undergo a double-blind peer review process. Experts are selected based on their expertise on the special issue topic. The review process includes respectful and constructive feedback on the content as well as public accessibility (i.e. ensuring that each piece informs and engages the reader).

Reach and Impact 

The editorial team is committed to supporting authors to reach their scholarly and public impact. Through a partnership with Michigan Publishing, all articles are free and available in xml, html, and pdf formats to address any barriers to access. No Article Processing Charges are incurred by authors. Additionally, authors retain copyright without restrictions.

The editorial team also activates a team of experts in communications, digital, and community engagement to develop a dissemination strategy that includes leveraging digital platforms (e.g. email and social media), engaging with the media, and reaching community and policy partners. 

Submission

This journal uses Janeway to manage submissions and the peer-review process. Scholars interested in submitting an article for a special issue should submit a letter of intent through the journal’s submission portal. Only those letters of intent that are deemed responsive to the call will be invited to submit a manuscript.

First time users will have to create an account. Be sure to follow all instructions to access our submission portal. 

Returning users can login and proceed with their submission.