Invitation for submissions: Topical Issue to be published in the African Journal of Career Development

AOSIS invites all prospective authors to participate in the Topical Issue to be published in the African Journal of Career Development (AJCD).

Theme: Troubling normative constructions in careers issues of gender and sexual diversity

Timelines:

• Open for submission: 30 January 2023
• Deadline for submission: 30 April 2023
• Expected Publication Date: 15 October 2023

 Editor-In-Chief: Prof Kobus Maree

Introduction:

Career education and guidance continue to adopt heteronormative and cisnormativity assumptions about the nature of work, organisation and personal development (Hancock & Taylor, 2018). Subsequently, attitudes towards professionals who embody lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) identities are pervasively compounded by repressive public perceptions towards non-normative sexualities and gender identities (Tran & Leazar, 2021). Despite progressive legislation in various countries, lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) embodying professionals are at greater risk of unfair treatment, systematic oppression, bullying and even violence (Nyeck, Sheperd, & Sehoole, 2019). Stigmas, stereotypes and prejudice towards diverse gender and sexualities impact career recruitment, training and development, equal opportunities policies, benefits packages, treatment of customers and service users (Pride & Diversity, 2010). We hold the view that by countering discrimination and promoting inclusion improves productivity, job satisfaction, personal and social well-being, and morale. Since December 2020, 81 United Nations Member States provided protection against discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identities in employment (ILO, 2021). Enshrined in these protective rights is the explicit understanding that all professionals are entitled to equal career opportunities and to fairly receive equal treatment and non-discrimination within spaces of employment.

Gender and sexuality diversity content remains invisible, silent and uncomfortable topics across institutions of higher education resulting in limited exposure and awareness of inclusive career identities and prospects (Muller, 2013; Brown & Diale, 2017; Msibi, 2019). While institutions of higher education assume the role of career development and creation  of employability opportunities, it is uncertain how students of diverse sexual orientations and gender identities feel prepared for the world of work and are supported to adapt to these normative environment (Qenani, MacDougall & Sexton, 2014).

From the above paragraph, HEI have the responsibility of ensuring that individuals who identify differently from the norm are not prejudice, be in the lecture halls, student venues, or moving from one space to the other where they define themselves as being safe. To achieve this, both the world of work (WoW) and the institutions of higher learning will have to not only rethink their institutional cultures, but to adopt an agile, adaptable, flexible, resilient and an inclusively embracing career development and transition for youth (Diale, 2022).

This special issue aims trouble how normative constructions may contribute to the oppression of sexual and gender minorities, how it can be contested and how career practitioners challenge social injustice.

 Objective

The broader objective of this special issue will be:

• To investigate challenges related to gender and sexual normative constructions of careers.
• To promote research in inclusive careers development.
• To adopt and adapt appropriate inclusive careers opportunities and practices for professionals of diverse gender and sexual identities.
• To provide opportunities for researchers from careers and diverse gender and sexuality to collaborate with other researchers to identify and bring possible solutions to social justice for people of diverse sexual orientations and gender identities.

 Recommended Topics

• Career development and counselling responses to gender and sexual diversity
• Gender and sexual diversity inclusivity in school-based career guidance
• Gender and sexual normativity in career considerations: In search of the crossroads
• Recruitment and workplace equality and social justice policy responsiveness towards gender and sexual diversity identifying professionals
• Navigating gender and sexual diversity identity in career choices and practices
• Institutional responses and expressions for diverse gender and sexual identifying employees
• The scholarship of gender and sexual diversity in career development

 Manuscript Information

Manuscript contributions may consist of the following:

• Manuscript submissions should be in English.
• Original Research articles must fully comply with the African Journal of Career Development guidelines for Original Research manuscripts (maximum 5500 words, maximum of 60 references with limited self-referencing; and a structured abstract, with a maximum of 250 words).
• Interested authors must consult the journal’s guidelines for manuscript formatting requirements prior to submission.

To read the journal submission guidelines, please visit: https://bit.ly/30t8fJm

 Submission Procedure

To submit your article to the African Journal of Career Development, please visit ajcd.africa. When you submit the article, select the Troubling normative constructions in careers: issues of gender and sexual diversity as the article type. The submission portal will be accessible on ajcd.africa after login in with your personal user credentials. For more details on the submission procedure, please visit https://bit.ly/3WBWuMx. All submissions will undergo anonymous review to guarantee high scientific quality and relevance to the subject. The final decision regarding acceptance/revision/rejection will be based on the reviews received from the reviewers and at the sole discretion of the Editor-in-Chief.

Of course, we will be happy to provide you with any assistance during the submission and application process. Kindly enquire at special-issues@aosis.co.za

We would be honoured to receive a positive reply from you and look forward to receiving your article.

All submissions and inquiries should be directed to the attention of:

• Professor Boitumelo Diale
  University of Johannesburg
  tumid@uj.ac.za
• Professor Anthony Brown
  University of Stellenbosch
  anthonyb@sun.ac.za
• Obakeng Kagola
  Nelson Mandela University
  Kagola@mandela.ac.za

DHET Accreditation and Indexing Services

The African Journal of Career Development is DHET accredited and listed in leading indexing services for example the Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ), EBSCO Host, and GALE, CENGAGE Learning.

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Please visit our FAQs page for any other information you may require, and email submissions@ajcd.africa for your support inquiry.

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