Volume 32, Number 1 (2004)

Editor Comments

Comments by the Managing Editor have not been a common occurrence in these pages, and those which follow are not intended to signal an end to this (non) practice. Rather, important changes, those made and those impending, have occasioned this exception.

Dwight Lambert resigned his position as Managing Editor on January 1 of this year, and I have taken his place. Dwight served with distinction, and expended enormous amounts of time and effort, nurturing and improving the Journal over the last six years. Authors, readers, and Association leaders and members are all in his debt. Happily for me, Dwight has agreed to continue his work for the Journal as Associate Editor-and his Department and University (the Department of Political Science at USC Upstate) continue to subsidize the cost of publication. I want to publicly thank him for his ongoing, always thoughtful, counsel and help, and for his willingness to continue to format the Journal for the printer. Thanks, too, to his Department and University.

In the grand scheme of things, an even more important change for the Journal is the likelihood that it will transform itself into an on-line publication. The discussion to seriously consider this possibility was made over the Summer of 2004 by the Editorial Board and Association leaders; should it transpire, we will of course inform all subscribers of the particulars. We are also considering increasing the number of issues per year, and renewing and expanding the Editorial Board.

With the support of the Board, I have also begun work on informing multiple audiences of the Journals existence and policies, in hopes of raising our profile among potential contributors and subscribers. The most important of our policies are these: Manuscripts focused on all topics of interest to political scientists, across all specializations and methodological approaches, are welcome, although some preference is given to work on Southern and South Carolina politics. Manuscripts are initially reviewed by the Managing Editor, and those sent out for review are subjected to a double-blind review process employing two reviewers. We strive to publish original research and topical essays that include original research and/or draw on existing research and scholarship in insightful ways. We do not publish opinion pieces. We do consider review essays (a fine example is included in this issue). Book reviews are solicited by the Managing Editor. For manuscript submission and other details, please visit our website at: http://faculty.winthrop.edu/huffmons/journal.htm.

Dan Sabia, Managing Editor
Columbia, South Carolina