When it comes to good sources on cutting edge research, academic journals are a great place to start and at UCI, you won't have to go far to find them. Between the Schools of Social Sciences, Social Ecology and Humanities, UCI is currently the host university to some of the top - and oldest - journals in the social and behavioral sciences.  
 
The most recent addition: Philosophy of Science, the Philosophy of Science Association's flagship journal since 1934. Beginning July 2009, the top journal will call UC Irvine home when Jeff Barrett, logic and philosophy of science professor, takes the reigns as editor for a five year term. A member of the UCI faculty since 1992, Barrett served as chair of the logic and philosophy of science department from 2001-07. His research focuses primarily on quantum mechanics and the philosophies of science and physics.  
 
"The selection of Jeff Barrett as the editor of Philosophy of Science marks a high level of recognition by the field of his research distinction," says Barbara Dosher, dean, School of Social Sciences. "What is truly remarkable is that this new editorship is one of many flagship journals located at UC Irvine. This is a key indicator of the leadership roles that Irvine plays in a number of academic fields."  
 
In his new role as editor, Barrett joins a stellar line-up of UCI faculty who claim top editing privileges to some of the social and behavioral sciences' most prestigious journals:  

 
• American Anthropologist, the flagship journal of the American Anthropological Association, has been spinning out research on archaeology and anthropology since 1888 - 14 years before the Association's founding. In June 2007, UCI became the journal's new home when Tom Boellstorff, anthropology associate professor, was named to a five year term as editor.
• Editorship of the Law and Society Review, the flagship journal of the Law and Society Association since 1966, came under the watchful eye of Carroll Seron, criminology, law and society professor, two years ago. Having helped publish key studies on a number of topics including what socio-legal research might look like post 9/11, her term as editor will come to a close in 2010.
• Also serving as editor until 2010 is Victoria Basolo, planning, policy and design professor, who has under her charge the Urban Affairs Association's Journal of Urban Affairs. Basolo became editor following St. Louis University's Scott Cummings'17 year term editing contributions from political scientists, sociologists, urban planners, economists and geographers, among others.
• The Association for Asian Studies' nearly 70 year old Journal of Asian Studies came to call UCI home last July when history professor Jeffrey Wasserstrom was selected as editor for a five year term. Wasserstrom will be leaving his own personal mark beginning with the February issue's new "Asia Beyond the Headlines" section which will feature short articles tying together current global events with top notch scholarly research.
• The Journal of Regional Science, one of the leading publications for urban economics and quantitative geography research, is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year under the co-editorship of economics and planning, policy and design professor Marlon Boarnet who has served in this role since 2002.

 

"As editors, we really get to play an exciting, behind the scenes role in advancing research in our fields because we are ultimately responsible for deciding what goes in or out of each issue," says Boellstorff, emphasizing a point of great importance in the academic world where getting published plays a critical factor in a professor's tenure and professional advancement process. As American Anthropologist's editor, Boellstorff notes that he accepts only 10-25% of studies submitted for publication and only then after they've gone through a rigorous review from the world's top experts - a process in which many UCI faculty are involved, whether as section editors, associate editors, or editorial review board members, for a host of journals spanning the social sciences.  

"It's an honor to review the work of our peers and decide whether or not they meet the highest standards of publication," he says.  

Barrett agrees and adds, "I am pleased to edit a journal that I have most enjoyed reading."  

Learn more about social and behavioral sciences journals in which UCI faculty are currently serving as managing editors:

• Economics of Governance - Ami Glazer, co-editor
• Gestos - Juan Villegas, editor
• Journal of Mexican Studies - Jaime Rodriguez, editor
• Postmodern Culture - Eyal Amiran, editor
• Theoretical Criminology - Simon Cole, co-editor
• Topoi - Ermanno Bencivenga, editor