Journal Editor Q&A: Christopher C. Jones (Journal of Mormon History)

Thanks to Christopher for answering a few questions about editing JMH! You can read the original post at the US Religion Substack.

What led you to apply to become the editor of The Journal of Mormon History?

• The Mormon History Association, which sponsors the Journal of Mormon History, has long been one of my scholarly homes. It served as my introduction to the historical field: as an undergraduate history major, I presented my first conference paper at MHA’s annual conference in 2007 and published one of my first peer-reviewed articles in the Journal (in 2011). Even as my own immediate research interests expanded during graduate school and my early professional career to include the broader history of religion in early America, I remained active in MHA, attending its conference each year, serving on its board, and co-chairing the program committee for the annual conference. Editing the Journal of Mormon History was an enticing possibility, allowing me to remain not only involved in the subfield, but also to shape its future, especially as it neared its 50^th anniversary of publication (the first issue of 2024 will mark that anniversary). As the field of Mormon Studies has grown in both size and disciplinary scope, I hope to maintain and grow JMH, reaffirming its place as the premiere scholarly outlet for Mormon history.

What topics are underrepresented in Mormon history that present opportunities to contribute to the field?

• As many readers of Religion in US History likely know, Mormon history is thriving as a field of historical inquiry, and has grown increasingly diverse in its range of topics and more sophisticated in its methodological approaches. Scholarship dealing with race, gender, sexuality, and the Mormon past has increased in both quantity and quality, but more still remains to be done. There is also much work to be done on the history of Mormonism internationally, ranging from studies of Latter-say Saint missions and missionaries to local expressions of Mormonism, and how those are shaped by the religious politics of the U.S./intermountain West and the regional cultures of locations around the globe. But I’m an intellectual pluralist here: as the RiAH’s “blogfather” Paul Harvey once quipped, “I’m pretty much interested in the history of everything.” Within the scope of the Journal of Mormon History, I am interested in all aspects of the Latter Day Saint past (including not only Latter-day Saints, but all individuals, institutions, practices, and ideas that trace their lineage to Joseph Smith and the movement(s) he began).  

What is the role of topic-and-tradition-specific history journals like JMH in the field(s) of American religious history?

• I would like to think there’s some synergy here. When I researched and wrote an article on the politics of race and religion in the first Mormon mission to Jamaica in 1853 in Religion & American Culture, I benefitted greatly from reading several excellent articles published in JMH on 19^th century Mormon missions, the history of Mormonism and race, and more. It was a better article because of that earlier research published in a topic-and-tradition specific journal like JMH. But our aim isn’t only to solicit and publish scholarship narrowly of interest to Mormon history scholars. I want to publish the very best research in the field of Mormon history, whether that comes from veterans in the field, newcomers who encounter in their research on something else some interesting aspect of the Mormon past, or independent scholars and lay historians who bring an unrivaled passion to their research. Forthcoming issues of the Journal thus include topics ranging from Mormonism and Christian nationalism to Lutherans and Mormon interactions in 1850s Denmark, and from early Mormon genealogical practices to why century Latter-day Saint church president Joseph Fielding Smith rejected the possibility of space flight and what it says about anti-modernism and religion in the mid-20^th century United States.

What are the benefits of publishing an article on Mormon history in a field-specific journal like the Journal of Mormon History rather than a journal with a wider topical frame? 

• The Journal of Mormon History has a wide and engaged readership. MHA has more than 2000 dues-paying members, and all of them receive each issue of the journal. It is also accessible on JSTOR and elsewhere, extending its reach beyond MHA’s membership. And we know, from anecdotal evidence and self studies, that people who subscribe to the journal read the journal. One of Mormon history’s greatest strengths has always been the interest and passion its participants have. That means people actively read Mormon history and take a (sometime intense) interest in new research in the field. So one benefit is a fairly wide readership. The second benefit is that we can promise authors a thorough review of their articles by experts in the particular topics of Mormon history they’ve written about. Some of those reviewers are experienced academics in Mormon Studies; others are independent scholars who know the archival material in various repositories better than just about anyone. This combination ensures submitted articles will be thoroughly vetted and, when accepted for publication, be better as a result of the review and editorial process.
  
  In addition, we pay many of those who publish in JMH. My editorial predecessors and friends Jessie Embry and Christopher Blythe introduced an initiative that offers a $500 honorarium “for all scholars publishing in the JMH for the first time, as well as for all those whose professions do not include a research component. This includes contingent faculty, community college faculty, students, and independent scholars.”
  
  Finally, we offer a mentorship program for graduate students and first-time authors, “in which JMH board members and other volunteer mentors offer to read papers and provide feedback preparatory to submitting an article for publication.”

How has working as an editor made you a better writer?

• This remains to be seen, I think. I’m still somewhat new on the job. But a senior colleague once counseled me that the best writers are often the busiest readers. And I think (and hope) that not only reading but editing others’ writing has made me a more thoughtful critic of my own. I see some habits and tendencies in submitted and accepted articles that I favor in my own writing. I also see aspects of others’ writing that I admire and seek to incorporate into my own.

Anything else you’d like to share?

• Yes. I’m excited to use this forum to announce the launch of the Journal of Mormon History podcast, the inaugural episode of which will appear alongside the publication of the Journal’s first issue in 2024. The podcast will be hosted by me, and include a brief overview of the newest issue’s contents, plus a short interview with an author of one of the articles in that issue. The podcast will be available on YouTube and major podcast platforms.

Job Ad: Richard Lyman Bushman Professorship in Mormon Studies

LINK TO INTERFOLIO LINK

The Department of Religious Studies at the University of Virginia invites applications for the Richard Lyman Bushman Professorship of Mormon Studies, to start Fall 2024.

We invite applications from accomplished scholars across the humanistic and social science disciplines whose teaching and scholarship advance the academic study of Mormonism in historical or contemporary timeframes and US or global contexts. Ideal candidates will be well-grounded in American religious history and religious studies, with the capacity to contribute to wider departmental, university, national, and international scholarly conversations in the study of religion.

The appointment will be made at the rank of endowed full professor. Ideal applicants will hold a full or endowed full professorship by the time of appointment, though promotion-eligible associate professors are encouraged to apply as well. Candidates will be assessed in terms of their demonstrated record and potential for excellence in research, teaching, and service. Review of applications will begin on November 1, 2023 and will continue until the position is filled.

The successful candidate will demonstrate a record of institutional/administrative leadership, mentorship, professional collegiality, and cross-institutional collaboration. They will be prepared to take advantage of collaborative relationships with students and faculty in other departments, units, and research initiatives at UVA, including the Democracy Initiative, the Karsh Institute of Democracy, and/or the Institute for the Humanities and Global Cultures.

The holder of the Bushman Chair will normally teach two courses per semester at the undergraduate and graduate levels, with at least one course each academic year taught in the field of Mormon Studies. Additionally, the Bushman Chair should maintain an active research program and contribute to graduate supervision in American Religions and other relevant department areas. Holders of the Bushman Chair will have a leadership role with Mormon Studies at UVA with opportunities to develop programming, events, and initiatives.

Questions about this position should be directed to Associate Professor Matthew Hedstrom, Chair, Search Committee, hedstrom@virginia.edu.

Qualifications

Minimum Requirements

Education: Ph.D. or terminal degree
Experience: Three years

Application Instructions

Complete an application online with the following documents:

·       Cover letter (3-5 pages) addressing areas of current research, teaching experience and ambitions, and potential projects or collaborations at the University of Virginia. Please also address any experience relevant to advancing the University’s ambition to cultivate the most vibrant community in higher education in order to prepare students to be leaders in a diverse and globally connected world.

·       CV addressing research, teaching, and service record.

·       The names and contact information for three references.

For questions about the application process, please contact Melanie Sponaugle, Academic Recruiter, at unw5dq@virginia.edu.

Global Mormon Studies 2024 Conference

“Go Thy Way”

Mexico City, Mexico; 23rd-25th May 2024

Conference Committee

• Farina King, Department of Native American Studies, University of Oklahoma
• David Bolingbroke, Church History Department, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
• Moroni Spencer Hernández de Olarte, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México
• Stephanie V. Griswold, Claremont Graduate University and Museum of Mormon Mexican History
• Brittany Romanello, Mellon Humanities Postdoctoral Fellow and Arizona State University
• Michelle Graabek, Independent Scholar

Call for Papers

“Go thy way unto thy brother, and be first reconciled with thy brother, and then come to me with a full purpose of heart, and I will receive you.” 3 Nephi 12:24

Change, adaptability, and peacemaking are characteristics of Mormonism’s presence as a global religion and cultural movement. Mormonism has also been a source of historical conflict, trauma, violence, and contradiction. The theme “Go Thy Way,” acknowledges the multidimensional reality of what Mormonism’s global presence has meant to various communities and individuals. How can these layered and nuanced experiences be seen, represented, and interpreted? Can they be reconciled towards a sense of greater belonging?

We invite scholars, researchers, and creators from both inside and outside of Mormon affiliations to share their perspectives on paths of reconciliation in Mormon studies. We call for works that address historically underrepresented, contested, or erased experiences. The topics for the conference are, but not limited to:

• Mormon presence in occupied lands of Canada, the U.S.A, Latin America and the Caribbean- encounters, crossroads, and complexities
• Indigenous peoples’ identities and experiences in or adjacent to Mormonism or Mormon cosmology
• The negotiation of religious, cultural norms or constraints based on race, ethnicity, gender, and marginalized sexualities
• An analysis of inclusion, exclusion, and/ or reconciliation within broader “Mormon” affiliations or identities

Submission Guidelines

Submissions can be made in English, Spanish, or Portuguese. The conference will provide translation services for these three languages and emphasize linguistic and cultural inclusion.

Submissions should include:

• Project title
• A 250-300 word proposal abstract
• A 150-word max author or creator bio
• Please submit your proposal by filling out our Google Form in the appropriate language, which can be found at: https://linktr.ee/gmsconference

Submission Deadline: 26th Nov., 2023

2023 Book of Mormon Studies Association Conference Program

See original link here

CONFERENCE

October 5 – 7, 2023
Utah State University, Logan, UT

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