editorial: toward a more inclusive feminist economics

ED I T O R I A L: TO W A R D A MO R E IN C L U S I V E

FE M I N I S T EC O N O M I C S

During its fifteen years of publication Feminist Economics has worked tobroaden participation in economic debates to include scholars withdifferent life experiences and training and from different parts of theworld. In pursuing this aim, Feminist Economics has welcomed contributionsnot just from economists but also from activists, policy makers, and scholarsfrom many other fields of inquiry. Equally important, the journal hassought to include contributions from scholars who hail from all regions ofthe world and to require the papers it publishes to speak to a globalaudience. These efforts reflect our commitment to inclusivity and ourbelief that broader representation of scholars will lead to a more rigorousand useful economics, better serving the interests of all people.

With this volume, Feminist Economics initiates a plan to work even moreintensively to enhance the capabilities of South scholars whose research hasbeen underrepresented in economic conversations. I am very pleased toannounce that Gunseli Berik, Professor of Economics at the University ofUtah has agreed to serve as co-editor of Feminist Economics. As an associateeditor since 2004 and as a guest editor of two special issues – ‘‘Inequality,Development, and Growth’’ (Volume 15[3]) and ‘‘Gender, China, and theWorld Trade Organization’’ (Volume 13[3/4]) – Professor Berik hassubstantial experience with editing Feminist Economics. Further, her back-ground and scholarly expertise make her particularly well suited to play asignificant role in helping to bring the journal to a new level of engagementwith scholars from around the world. Most importantly, she brings a deepcommitment to mentoring scholars from developing and transitioncountries, where language differences and training opportunities havelimited the exposure of important potential voices to the research norms ofinternational journals.

With the ongoing institutional support of Rice University, where FeministEconomics has been based since its initiation, a new grant from the SwedishInternational Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA), and in-kindsupport from the University of Utah, the journal will further intensify itsefforts to broaden participation in its pages. This work will includesponsoring special-issue workshops, mentoring authors from transitioneconomies and the Global South during each stage of article submission,and encouraging aspiring feminist scholars and activists in Africa, Asia,Latin America, the Caribbean, and transition countries to conduct

Feminist Economics 16(1), January 2010, 1–2

Feminist Economics ISSN 1354-5701 print/ISSN 1466-4372 online � 2010 IAFFEhttp://www.tandf.co.uk/journals

DOI: 10.1080/13545700903569085

gender-aware research, thereby helping promote the development offeminist economics in these regions. In all of these endeavors, the journalwill seek to build on its track record of promoting inclusiveness andinfluencing practice at various levels of policy making.

Diana StrassmannEditor, Feminist Economics

EDITORIAL

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