We are seeking your submissions for the Spring/Summer 2021 Sociology of Development newsletter, Sectors. Specifically, we are calling for general content (see below) and short, original pieces related to Global COVID-19 Vaccine Testing, Production, and Distribution.

Call for original contributions: Amidst the collective anxiety of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the vaccine offers a ray of hope. However, vaccines are tested, produced, and distributed unevenly across the globe. There are live debates about relative vulnerability and strong calls for equity in the distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine. But, access to the vaccine is also being shaped by considerations of profitability, global power distribution, sovereignty, and public health infrastructure. 

For the Spring/Summer 2021 edition of Sectors, we seek original contributions from section members that discuss a specific aspect of Global COVID-19 Vaccine Testing, Production, and/or Distribution. Original pieces should be short (4-8 paragraphs) and can be built around current research or in-depth international, regional, or country knowledge. Topics might include any of the following: COVAX design and operations; Human vaccine trials in the Global South; Vaccine acquisition among middle-income countries; Vaccination among refugees and IDPs; Impacts of US, EU, and UN sanctions on vaccination; Intellectual property rights as related to vaccine production; Emerging black markets for vaccines, or; Variable strategies of key vaccine producers, including the US, the UK, China, and Russia. If you are interested in submitting a short piece please send a brief email (a few sentences) to SOCDEVSectors@gmail.com by February 28, 2021. The final text for original contributions will be due by April 18th 2021.

For the general content of Sectors, we welcome:

• New books (include an image of the cover, a citation, and a short abstract)
• New journal publications, book chapters, and policy publications (include the full citation, using the ASA Style Guide)
• News of completed dissertations, research grants and awards, and/or new positions and promotions
• Links to “public sociology” pieces written by development sociologists or research by section members mentioned in the news
• New data sets
• Upcoming conferences and workshops organized by section members, calls for proposals or papers, opportunities related to jobs, fellowships, post-docs, grants, or collaborations (with May 2021 deadlines or later)
• Job market candidate spotlights, including (1) name, (2) affiliation/school, (3) email and website, (4) specializations, (5) dissertation title, (6) short dissertation abstract (150-200 words), and (7) optional photo
• Photographs related to member research, with an accompanying description

We also encourage junior scholars to share their research with the section by submitting short articles (500-600 words) for Notes from the Field. Submissions can be based on qualitative, quantitative, or mixed-methods research. Ethnographic pieces typically contextualize the research and provide an excerpt from recent fieldwork. Historical pieces may reflect on the researcher’s experiences working with particular archives. Quantitative pieces may discuss constructing a data set, developing a set of analytic strategies, or some other “behind the scenes” aspect of producing a polished piece of research. For the Spring 2021 newsletter, scholars might also discuss the creative strategies they have adopted to overcome challenges created by COVID-19, Junior scholars (i.e., graduate students, recent grads, postdocs, and new faculty) are especially encouraged to submit their work. The deadline for all Notes from the Field submissions is April 18th.

Please send materials to Sectors co-editors Jeb Sprague, Leslie MacColman and Preethi Krishnan at SOCDEVSectors@gmail.com by April 18th, 2021.

***If you have any questions, please contact us at: SOCDEVSectors@gmail.com

Best,

Jeb Sprague, Preethi Krishnan, and Leslie MacColman
2020-21 Editors of Sectors, the newsletter of the ASA Sociology of Development section