“Racialized Legitimacy in Graduate Education and Postdoctoral Training”

Call for Papers – Special Issue: “Racialized Legitimacy in Graduate Education and Postdoctoral Training”

Journal: Studies in Graduate and Postdoctoral Education
Publisher: Emerald Publishing
Submission deadline: 01 November 2026

Overview

This special issue—published by Emerald Publishing—investigates the concept of "racialized legitimacy," defined as the process by which evaluations of academic excellence are inextricably linked to whiteness and Eurocentric epistemologies. By centering this theory, the issue seeks to expose how routine academic milestones—such as doctoral candidacy exams, dissertation defenses, and fellowship applications—often act as mechanisms that marginalize scholars from racially minoritized backgrounds and reinforce narrow, exclusionary notions of merit.

Key Research Themes

• Global Perspectives: Examining how historical, socio-cultural, and political contexts shape the racialization of legitimacy in academic training worldwide.

• Empirical Explorations: Detailing how racism is embedded in the day-to-day evaluation of graduate students and postdocs, including the intersectional impact of gender, sexuality, and disability.

• Critical Interrogations: Analyzing how Black, Indigenous, and racially minoritized scholars navigate and resist common academic gatekeeping structures, such as peer review, grant applications, and the faculty job market.

• Models for Equity: Proposing concrete, just, and equity-minded frameworks for assessment that honor the wisdom of globally minoritized communities.

Submission Details

• Abstract Submission: Interested contributors should submit an abstract by 01 May 2026 via email to Aireale J. Rodgers at arodgers4@wisc.edu.

• Full Manuscript Submission: Following abstract approval, full papers must be submitted via ScholarOne by 01 November 2026.

• Special Instructions: During the full submission process, ensure you select the special issue title from the "Please select the issue you are submitting to" drop-down menu.

Guest Editors

• Aireale J. Rodgers, University of Wisconsin–Madison (arodgers4@wisc.edu)

• Julie R. Posselt, University of Southern California (posselt@usc.edu)

• Román Liera, Montclair State University (lierar@montclair.edu)

• Lauren N. Irwin, University of Tennessee, Knoxville (lirwin6@utk.edu)

Why This Issue Matters

"Legitimacy" is a crucial form of academic capital, yet the criteria for attaining it are often biased toward conformity with dominant norms. This special issue—published by Emerald Publishing—provides a necessary intervention by challenging the "rigor" and "merit" typically used to disguise systemic racism. It aims to foster a more inclusive academy where the contributions and epistemologies of all scholars are valued, recognized, and supported.

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