Science Communication, an international social science journal committed to linking theory and practice, seeks submissions for a special issue on action strategies for communicating climate change. Papers submitted for this special issue must have a strong theoretical foundation. Typically, successful submissions to the journal also have a solid empirical foundation. In this special issue, we are particularly interested in submissions whose conclusions have direct implications for improving climate change communication practice.
Topics of potential interest include :
— Improving representations of climate change in the news or entertainment media and their visibility ;
— Stimulating or improving communication of climate change issues through informal channels (e.g., social organizations, families, friendship networks), as well as through formal science communication channels (e.g., museums, zoos) ; or
— Identification of message strategies that effectively promote individual and/or collective preventive actions (including policy actions) or adaptation measures.
Papers that address these and other action strategies that are theoretically and empirically supported are strongly encouraged. We are also open to any other treatment of communication related to climate change that has both theoretical and empirical foundations.
Electronic submissions in the form of Word documents should be sent to guest editor Edward Maibach at George Mason University, emaibach@gmu.edu, no later than August 15, 2008.
Questions can be addressed to Dr. Maibach or to co-guest editors Katherine Rowan (krowan@gmu.edu) and Tarla Rai Peterson (raipeterson@neo.tamu.edu), as well as to SC’s editor, Susanna Priest (susanna.priest@unlv.edu).
Title pages with author information should be submitted as separate files in order to facilitate blind review. While not absolutely required, if at all possible electronic notices of intent to submit should be sent by July 15, 2008, to Dr. Maibach at this same address. With your cooperation in this regard, we anticipate an efficient review process, with papers reviewed by at least one of the journal’s editorial board members (see a recent issue for an up-to-date list of these individuals) and at least one other individual with relevant expertise. Our intent is to devote the entire March 2009 issue of Science Communication to this topic, contingent on identifying sufficient publishable papers.
