The Journal ‘’Development in Practice’’ has published a call for manuscript for their upcoming Special Issue on ‘’ Gender norms change for gender justice: rethinking theory and practice’’.
Traditional Samburu Women. Photo: Ken Kahiri /Unsplash
The Journal ‘’Development in Practice’’ has published a call for manuscript for their upcoming Special Issue on ‘’ Gender norms change for gender justice: rethinking theory and practice’’.
In this special issue, the aim is ‘’to engage with the processes of gender norms change in the Global South by highlighting the particular need for research to pay more attention to the non-linearity and complexities of normative change. Indeed, while there is growing literature about ‘what works’ to change norms, we suggest that understanding how change happens is as important as knowing whether it happens. Yet, not enough is known about how that change takes place, how people interact with the process, and how to best capture those dynamics.’’
Contributions are invited to explore the complex and multifaceted processes of gender norms change in the Global South. The series will feature original research addressing conceptual, methodological, and empirical questions, engaging critically with academic debates and practical approaches. It will examine how social norms shift across families, communities, organizations, and institutions—whether through individual transgressions, collective action, policymaking, development initiatives, or broader socio-economic changes—and their impact on transforming gender inequalities.
Contributions may address, but are not limited to, the following questions:
- How do social actors conceive of, engage with, perform, navigate or negotiate gender norms change in distinct settings?
- What shape is resistance to norms change taking, by whom, and to what effect on gender justice efforts?
- How do social sanctions frame the processes of norms change at the individual, peer, family or community levels, and with what consequences?
- Which factors influence the successful transition from individual attitudes and behaviour change to shifting gender norms at community or societal level?
- What can different tools and methodologies bring to the understanding of normative change processes ? And what contributions can feminist, participatory and/or indigenous methodologies make in particular?
- How do economic, social, political, or technological dynamics at the structural level shape or are shaped by processes of gender norms change?
- How do contexts of humanitarian crisis, conflict or everyday violence affect processes of norms change?
- How do internal and international migration and displacement experiences influence gender norms change?
Papers grounded in experiences from the Global South, especially those dealing with gender norms change in crisis or conflict settings, are especially welcome.
The Special Issue welcomes contributions from scholars, experts, activists as well as practitioners to incorporate a diversity of perspectives to advance theory, practice, and policy around gender norms.
How to apply:
The special issue will include both full academic articles and shorter practice notes reflecting on learnings from practical work. As such, the editors will consider original research articles (6,000-7,000 words) and practice notes (3,000 words) for inclusion in the special issue.
Submissions should be made directly to the journal via the submission portal. When uploading your manuscript, please ensure that you tick the box to notify the editors that the manuscript is for inclusion in a special issue and select “Gender norms change for gender justice: rethinking theory and practice” from the special issue dropdown menu.
The deadline is 15 December 2024.
The Editors: