Editor or Co-editor

Local Development & Society (LD&S) was launched in 2020 as a partnership between the Community Development Society and Taylor and Francis (also branded as Routledge). The journal will begin its 7^th year of production with the editing process managed by Rhonda G. Phillips, Ph.D. and Norman Walzer, Ph.D. as founding co-editors with Sofia Kotsiri, Ph.D. as managing editor. LD&S operates independently from Community Development and publishes 3 issues per year with an average of 10 articles per issue. It also publishes book reviews with Josh Newton, Ph.D., serving as book review editor along with commentaries that are reviewed by the editorial team. LD&S has an editorial board of 16 members located in five countries.

The purpose of launching LD&S was to examine the impacts of development research and practices around the world on society in general. LD&S is less focused on development techniques and operations and more about impacts. Rather than case studies, the intent is to share experiences in places with diverse institutions and settings while still focusing on a theoretical or institutional framework and replicable results or outcomes in other settings. It encourages submissions from a broad range of disciplines and approaches and the intended market includes both academics and practitioners.

The journal is on a path of significant growth with a substantial increase in submissions in the past several years. Article downloads, year over year, increased from 18,237 in 2024 to 33,804 in 2025. The acceptance rate hovers around 25 percent, which is well regarded in the publishing industry but is influenced by number of special issues included among the 3 annual issues.

Opening for Editor/Co-editor

Rhonda Phillips, because of other professional duties, has stepped down as co-editor effective December 31, 2025, creating an opening for a co-editor starting in January 2026. Norman Walzer will continue as co-editor until July 31, 2026, to ensure continuity, or step down when editor position has been filled, after ensuring a smooth transition. The new editor can be a sole editor, recruit another co-editor, or establish a panel of associate editors (like Community Development).

Job Responsibilities

The editor or co-editors are responsible for the overall direction and production of 3 issues per year each with 11 accepted refereed articles. In some cases, they identify potential referees and work with them to complete the evaluation process but most of the submission process is handled by the managing editor. This position offers an opportunity to help shape the local development literature by encouraging young authors to publish their Ph.D. research or other activities in LD&S. This process can identify emerging issues and create a place where they can be effectively analyzed, discussed, and put into practice.

The editor or co-editors are responsible for selecting which accepted submissions will be featured in each issue of the journal as well as preparing an editors’ introduction to each issue; however, this is not required for every issue. In some cases, a special or thematic issue editor will work with the editor or co-editors, or potential authors can be identified to host such an issue. Editors and co-editors work with the managing editor to ensure a smooth publication process.

LD&S and Community Development enjoy a collaborative relationship and should stay in regular contact. The subject matter differences between the two journals are sufficient that they are complementary rather than competitive. This diversity benefits authors, readers, publishers, and CDS members by exposing them to a broader set of literature.

The editor or co-editors also work with the Taylor and Francis publications staff on a variety of issues such as copyright infringement, plagiarism, or other processes associated with journal publications. These issues have been minimal and rare.

The co-editors also have opportunities to contact and/or respond to various groups working on community development issues and encourage them to put together a series of articles on specific innovative approaches that have been effective.

Qualifications

Well-prepared applicants will have a solid publication record in the development field and be generally aware of emerging issues. Strong communication skills, including experience with editing their own, or others’ manuscripts will help although this position does not require extensive copy-editing. Since LD&S is published in English, effective use of English grammar is essential in refereeing and accepting manuscripts.

Potential Challenges

The continued growth of LD&S poses several challenges. First, sufficient referees must be coalesced to review the increasing submissions on a broad range of topics from countries across the globe. Expanding the Editorial Board to include more countries is a likely strategy.

Second, because LD&S is multidisciplinary, experts with both subject matter expertise as well as knowledge about the research setting can be hard to find. Efforts are currently underway to broaden the base of potential reviewers. The editor and co-editors can work with the editor of Community Development to grow the list of reviewers.

Compensation

The current compensation for a LD&S co-editor is $2,000 per year as well as reimbursement to attend an annual CDS meeting out of the journal’s marketing budget to host a session with potential contributors interested in publishing in the journal. This rate is set by the CDS Board. The managing editor compensation is also set by the board.

To Apply

Please include the following in your application:

• A statement of your vision for the Journal, including recommended changes to the stated aims and scope of the Journal or proposed sections and features.
• A commitment to follow the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) guidelines for Core Practices (see https://publicationethics.org/core-practices).
• A commitment to work cooperatively with the outgoing Editor (Co-Editor) during a three-month transition period and with a future incoming Editor during a three-month transition period.
• A narrative explanation of qualifications and relevant experience with academic publishing.
• A biographical sketch and full CV for the Editor (or each Co-Editor if more than one).
• Verification from your employer that the Editor’s responsibilities can be accommodated without violating your employment agreement and an explanation of any specific support that will be provided to enhance your application’s competitiveness.
• If you intend to utilize an editorial team submit description of your intended editorial team members’ titles and qualifications.

Submit your application and any supporting materials to admin@cdsociety.org by February 28, 2026. All applicants will receive acknowledgement that their materials have been received and a note with the next steps in the process.