Engaging Science, Technology, and Society

Starting with Volume 7 (2021), Engaging Science, Technology, and Society (ESTS) will accept submissions in three broad categories: Original Research Articles, Engagements, Perspectives, and Research Data. We also maintain an open call for Thematic Collections. Starting 2023, proposals for Thematic Collections are accepted once annually, typically after the annual 4S conference. An open call for proposals for Thematic Collections will be posted on the journal’s website [forthcoming] News and circulated widely via various distribution channels.

Original Research Articles (up to 9000 words, including footnotes and an abstract consisting of a paragraph of 250–300 words, excluding references) are scientific publications that showcase the breadth of STS scholarship. Articles published in ESTS contribute clear advances to STS scholarship.

Engagements (2000-6000 words, including footnotes and an abstract consisting of a paragraph of 250–300 words, excluding references) includes contributions from various publication genres that ESTS has previously published (e.g. Considering Concepts, Critical Engagements, Debates/Interactions, Traces, etc.). Please refer to ESTS archives for examples of these. Engagements pieces can also experiment with the form of scholarly presentation. If you intend to submit to Engagements, we encourage you to consult with the editorial team (email) prior to submission. 

Perspectives (2000 words and less including footnotes and an abstract consisting of a paragraph of 250–300 words, excluding references) includes topical reflections on matters of interest to more-than-just-STS audiences. Submissions under this category synthesize STS perspectives on important contemporary issues for broader audiences, including, for example, policymakers and students.

Research Data includes publication of source data and commentary on supplementary data from which a published ESTS manuscript draws. Examples of source data include interview transcripts and recordings, photographs, syllabi, or numerical data sets. ESTS editors will work with authors interested in publishing their source data to ensure that it is properly stored and appropriate metadata is created. Source data publication undergoes a single-blind peer review process. It will be published in STS Infrastructures (STS-I) in conjunction with an ESTS commentary.

Thematic Collections: is our term for “Special Issues.” Thematic Collections can include contributions across genres listed above. “Guest editors” who propose the Thematic Collection will be responsible for authoring an introduction to the collection. Starting 2023, ESTS will announce an open call for Thematic Collection proposals once annually. The CfP will be opened after the annual 4S conference, and will be posted on the journal’s website [forthcoming] News and circulated widely via various distribution channels. (email) at the proposal stage itself (i.e. prior to fully developing contributions to the collection): this allows for editors to offer feedback on developing the Thematic Collection to better align with ESTS’s aims.

All content published in ESTS is peer-reviewed. The exact mechanisms for peer review (e.g. double-blind, single-blind, open, or editorial review) will vary depending on genre and other considerations. Please refer to journal policies for further details.

ESTS also invites prospective authors early in the process of submitting their manuscript to consider publishing source data from which it draws on the experimental platform STS Infrastructures (STS-I). Examples of source data include interview transcripts and recordings, photographs, field notes, or numerical data sets. ESTS editors will work with authors interested in publishing their source data to ensure that it is properly stored and appropriate metadata is created. Authors can find more information to download in Resources.