About the Journal
Aims and Scope
The Journal of Awareness-Based Systems Change is an independent, open-access journal dedicated to:
- Addressing the ecological, social, and inner divides of our time by creating results that serve the wellbeing of all.
- Taking an integrative and pluralistic theoretical and methodological approach to systems change that bridges:
- theory & practice
- research & action
- inner & outer
- personal & systemic
- Expanding and Integrating 1st, 2nd and 3rd person epistemologies to inform systems change action from multiple forms of knowing.
- Representing a broad range of diverse, cutting-edge voices in systems change, including those often unheard in, or excluded from, academic publishing. .
- Make visible and interrogate two interconnected cycles at play in social reality creation: the re-generative forces of Presencing and its destructive counterpart, Absencing.
- Engage the phenomenon of Absencing in ways that are emancipatory and transformative, including examining power: where it lies, how it shapes our systems and structures and how it is experienced, both inside and between us.
- Further develop the tools, methods, and frameworks to strengthen the capacity to sense and actualize emerging potentials.
- Co-create new, less restricting and more enabling narratives which generate action confidence leading to palpable systemic change
Formats and Review Processes
The Journal of Awareness-Based Systems Change welcomes original, non-replicated contributions from across sectors and disciplines as well as inter- and transdisciplinary work. We invite contributions in a variety of formats to broaden the sources of knowledge generation that further our understanding and practice of awareness-based systems change.
To ensure original contributions, all accepted submissions will be screened with CrossRef’s Similarity Check anti-plagiarism service.
Original Peer-Reviewed Articles
- Theoretical contributions clarifying, developing and refining the conceptual, theoretical and methodological base of awareness-based systems change. This includes linking these approaches to related and synergetic theories and concepts.
- Applied research and case studies in a particular field, learning environment, or hot spot of societal transformation.
- Methodological prototypes and emerging processes that evolve the research and science of awareness-based systems change. Generative, creative, performative and/or aesthetic contributions that serve to illuminate the role of knowing-in-action, relational, embodied, or artful forms of knowing in the process of social and systems change. These submissions are not limited to text, but do need to be publishable in an online based journal.
Length: 6000-8000 words, excluding references.
Review process:
In our effort to uphold the integrity of rigorous research, while also being transparent and inclusive of knowledge sharing traditions embedded in place and relationship (thus identifying the author), we have adopted a full spectrum review policy. This policy allows authors and reviewers to choose one of three protocols:
- double-anonymous review: neither author(s) nor reviewer(s) identities are disclosed.
- single-anonymous review: author(s) identity is disclosed to the reviewer but the reviewer remains anonymous.
- open review: the identity of both author and reviewer are disclosed.
The process-decision-tree is as follows:
- The Author(s) decide first whether to disclose their identity or not. If they wish not to disclose, the review proceeds as double anonymous.
- If the author(s) decide to disclose, reviewers are informed of the author(s) identity and asked whether they want to disclose their own. If they wish to remain anonymous, the review protocol proceeds as single-anonymous.
- If the reviewer also decides to disclose, the review proceeds as an open review. In this case, the author is informed of the reviewer(s) identity after the review is submitted. Reviewers agree to be contacted by the author(s) if they wish to do so.
When submitting authors are asked to indicate their preferred review protocol. If no preference is indicated the review will be carried out following the double-anonymous review protocol.
In the Making
In the Making is a feature that provides an opportunity for researchers/practitioners to share ideas as work- in-progress and invite commentary, so that the sense and meaning-making process is made visible and moved ‘in front of the curtain’. Each In the Making article is accompanied with a simultaneously published Discussant Commentary from an experienced scholar practitioner in a relevant field who brings into the conversation their experience and knowledge of the context within which the work is embedded. This opens the space for questions, dissent and co-inquiry into the ‘open, loose ends’ of the work as it is ‘in the making’. Its aim is to be an innovative way of bringing rigor and relevance together and manifest the process of transformation. For In the Making contributions, the following criteria apply:
- Clear potential contribution to the evolution of awareness-based systems change through one of the journal’s key areas of focus (see above).
- Make assumptions explicit, in particular epistemological assumptions. Reflect on the assumptions underlying this work and ask questions: Upon what assumptions does this work lie?
- Give expression to different rationalities and ways of knowing: we seek research that is grounded in all of our senses (and not a single research rationality). This will enable exploration of what the piece contributes to the broader field of awareness-based systems change research.
Length: 4500 words, excluding references
Review Process:
- In the Making articles are submitted to the annual journal deadline of either May 31st or November 30th.
- The Editorial Team reviews submissions and informs authors directly of the decision to move forward with an In the Making article.
- The Editorial Team then finds a suitable Discussant-Mentor to review a draft version of the article and provide feedback before writing their Discussant Commentary. Authors can recommend discussant-mentors.
- Between article acceptance as an In the Making contribution and publication, the author works iteratively with the Discussant-Mentor and Editorial Team to hone the article. Authors can expect 3-4 rounds of feedback and revision.
Innovations in Praxis
Innovations in Praxis is a feature that aims to bring explorative, authentic stories of change that link to and recognise the relational field and context in which new practices are being initiated. The feature aims to provide a place for practitioners to share their work in an explorative and authentic way. A structure is provided to support the author and to inspire new narratives that capture the emergent nature of social transformation and the learnings that flow from the practice and process of transformation. The Innovations in Praxis template can be found here.
Length: 5000 words, excluding references
Review Process:
- Innovations in Praxis articles are submitted to the annual journal deadline of either May 31st or November 30th.
- The Editorial Team reviews submissions and informs authors directly of the decision to move forward with an Innovations in Praxis article.
- Associate Editor, Megan Seneque, and Affiliate Editor, Fiona McKenzie, will work directly with the author to evolve the article between submission and publication.
In Dialogue (By Invitation)
The In Dialogue feature aims to provide a means to surface the relational knowing that emerges through purposeful and intentional dialogue. Contributions to this feature explore foundational questions, comparisons and intersections between various bodies of related work, and current applications of awareness-based systems change approaches to societal transformation.
Invited Article (By Invitation)
Invited Articles are a periodic feature providing a space for up-to-date representations of the knowledge and praxis emerging from long-standing bodies of work in awareness-based systems change.
