The Historical Society of Southern California is searching for a new editor for its flagship publication, The Southern California Quarterly. The new editor will succeed Merry Ovnick, professor of history emerita at Cal State Northridge, who is retiring after a distinguished 18-year tenure. The initial term of the appointment, to begin in January 2024, will be five years, with the possibility of renewal. The editor is supported by a book review editor, a copy editor, and a national editorial board of scholars with diverse areas of specialization and methodologies. The position involves seeking support from the editor’s home institution, which generally includes course release time and some level of administrative support. The editor will be provided with an honorarium, paid quarterly, and financial support to attend conferences.
The Southern California Quarterly, the oldest historical journal west of the Mississippi, is a scholarly, peer-reviewed journal published quarterly by the Society, hosted by Project MUSE and distributed by Project MUSE and JSTOR. It publishes original articles on a wide range of issues and periods, together with reviews of scholarly books, that interpret and promote the diverse history of Southern California and the western United States. Because of its longtime practice of pre-editing articles before submitting them for peer review, the Quarterly is an important resource for emerging graduate student scholarship.
The editor’s responsibilities include defining editorial policy and shaping the direction of the Quarterly; attracting high-quality submissions; managing a rigorous review policy; making final decisions on the acceptance or rejection of articles; editing articles accepted for publication; helping to identify illustrations and obtaining one-time use rights; choosing and working effectively with the board of editors; overseeing the work of the book review editor and copy editor; and working with designers and production staff to ensure timely publication. Candidates should have strong writing, editing and organizational skills, some familiarity with the history of Southern California and the West, and the ability to meet deadlines.
To apply, please send a CV and a letter of application, including an indication of possible institutional support, to Lauren Levy, HSSC executive director, at executivedirector@thehssc.org. The search will continue until the position is filled. Application review will begin on Oct 9.
