[Updated] Journal of Mormon History, 36:3 (Summer 2010), Part 1

By July 19, 2010

The newest issue of the JMH is here. Since I don’t have a lot of time, I’ll give a taste right now of what’s in here by posting the table of contents. Forgive the watermark. I’ll have more on the content later.

Update:

Mauss’ letter says he was catching up on some back issues and there were a few articles here and there that ?made me wonder about the thoroughness of the Journal?s review process.? He says that the example that stood out to him most was Brandon Morgan?s article on ?Educating the Lamanites: A Brief History of the LDS Indian Student Placement Program? in the Fall 2009 issue. He says that the article ?inadequately reviewed the extant scholarly literature, and the author was ill served by reviewers who did not notice that inadequacy.? He goes on to say that he didn?t see any contribution in the article and takes BM to task for a general statement that only one scholarly work on the subject since the late 70s. He names a few articles that he says should have been consulted including his own All Abraham?s Children. He says that he imagines that the article was processed ?during the previous editorial regime, but perhaps at least I can use this occasion to express a hope and a recommendation that the Journal will, as a matter of explicit policy, require every published manuscript to have been reviewed by two or more external reviewers or referees. The rapidly accumulating research in Mormon history has become far too complex and detailed to expect any internal editorial board to have the specialized knowledge needed for a thorough vetting of all the manuscripts submitted.?

Brandon responds by talking about how helpful the review process had been in refining his paper from when it was submitted in 2006 to when it was accepted in 2008 (wow, does it really take that long??) and that any omissions or errors are his responsibility. ?Placing any study of the program within a larger historical context is crucial. my work acknowledges the framework of the various programs of the Lamanite Committee but then continues in another, equally important direction by situating the program within the context of Indian education programs carried out by other faiths and the federal government. Such perspective provides insight on the efficacy of the program by evaluating it within a nation-wide structure of education programs for Native American children during the twentieth century??

An editor?s note indicates that ?We are currently sending all articles out to external reviewers.?

Article filed under Miscellaneous


Comments

  1. Anything anyone wants to hear about first?

    Comment by Jared T — July 19, 2010 @ 4:25 pm

  2. Armand Mauss’s letter.

    Comment by Justin — July 19, 2010 @ 4:43 pm

  3. Yeah, what Justin said.

    Comment by Christopher — July 19, 2010 @ 4:57 pm

  4. Bingo.

    Comment by Edje Jeter — July 19, 2010 @ 5:15 pm

  5. Yes, Mauss. And then Ford’s article on Widtsoe.

    Comment by Jared* — July 19, 2010 @ 7:11 pm

  6. Looks great! Thanks for posting the ToC here. Living in the hinterlands, I always get these things a fair bit after those in Zion.

    From the title I’m guessing that the Mauss letter is about an egregious editorial miss regarding a known Hofmann forgery being treated in an article as authentic.

    I’m particularly interested in the Helvecio Martins, Ex-Mormons for Jesus, Habeas Corpus and Lawrence estate pieces.

    Comment by Kevin Barney — July 19, 2010 @ 8:21 pm

  7. I’m just trying to figure out how you got a copy before me. Texas is the place to be. I look forward to receiving a copy. I wonder about Armand’s letter as well. In a recent issue, Hofman’s forged JS III blessing was quoted as if an actual historical document. Wonder if it is about that?

    Comment by J. Stapley — July 19, 2010 @ 9:44 pm

  8. J. I’m still in Utah, though for the moment. Provo just gets things quicker, I guess.

    Ok, Mauss says he was catching up on some back issues and there were a few articles here and there that “made me wonder about the thoroughness of the Journal’s review process.” He says that the example that stood out to him most was Brandon Morgan’s article on “Educating the Lamanites: A Brief History of the LDS Indian Student Placement Program” in the Fall 2009 issue. He says that the article “inadequately reviewed the extant scholarly literature, and the author was ill served by reviewers who did not notice that inadequacy.” He goes on to say that he didn’t see any contribution in the article and takes BM to task for a general statement that only one scholarly work on the subject since the late 70s. He names a few articles that he says should have been consulted including his own All Abraham’s Children. He says that he imagines that the article was processed “during the previous editorial regime, but perhaps at least I can use this occasion to express a hope and a recommendation that the Journal will, as a matter of explicit policy, require every published manuscript to have been reviewed by two or more external reviewers or referees. The rapidly accumulating research in Mormon history has become far too complex and detailed to expect any internal editorial board to have the specialized knowledge needed for a thorough vetting of all the manuscripts submitted.”

    Brandon responds by talking about how helpful the review process had been in refining his paper from when it was submitted in 2006 to when it was accepted in 2008 (wow, does it really take that long??) and that any omissions or errors are his responsibility. “Placing any study of the program within a larger historical context is crucial. my work acknowledges the framework of the various programs of the Lamanite Committee but then continues in another, equally important direction by situating the program within the context of Indian education programs carried out by other faiths and the federal government. Such perspective provides insight on the efficacy of the program by evaluating it within a nation-wide structure of education programs for Native American children during the twentieth century…”

    An editor’s note indicates that “We are currently sending all articles out to external reviewers.”

    Comment by Jared T — July 19, 2010 @ 10:06 pm

  9. Ooo… academic squabbling and finger pointing! I can’t wait till I get my issue in the mail, which sadly is usually 2 – 3 days after those of you in the Mormon Culture Region.

    Comment by Amanda HK — July 19, 2010 @ 10:51 pm

  10. Amanda, there’s plenty of that. Including Will’s letter responding to Breck England’s critique of Will’s handcart article, which can be summed up in his last line, “Finally, as my friend Brigham D. Madsen once heard Juanita Brooks tell Kate Carter, ‘You can defend Brigham Young if you want, but I won’t.'”

    Comment by Jared T — July 20, 2010 @ 12:46 am

  11. Interesting re: Mauss’s letter. I know that with my JS/RWE letter (which is my only experience with this letter), which was accepted by the old JMH regime but published with the new, I received comments from at least five reviewers. I don’t know how many of those were internal or external, but it was very helpful.

    from when it was submitted in 2006 to when it was accepted in 2008 (wow, does it really take that long??)

    From my experience, which I don’t know is typical or not, the whole process from submission to publication too 20 months.

    Comment by Ben — July 20, 2010 @ 12:48 am

  12. As interesting as the debate over JMH’s professionalism is, I’m also intrigued by Armand’s very public take down of a graduate student’s article. I shudder to think of how I’d respond if someone of Armand’s stature responded to something I wrote like that. I don’t get the journal, so I can’t read BM’s article myself, but if someone who knows the historiography on the placement program can weigh in on Armand’s assessment (and BM’s response), I’d appreciate it.

    Comment by David G. — July 20, 2010 @ 7:49 am

  13. Which recent article quoted the JSIII blessing?

    Comment by BHodges — July 20, 2010 @ 11:36 am

  14. Blair, it was in Addams’ article on the Church of Christ (Temple Lot).

    Comment by J. Stapley — July 20, 2010 @ 2:30 pm


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