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K-State Today

October 27, 2011

Communication studies professors edit, publish online journal

Submitted by Charles Griffin

The latest issue of the Journal of Public Deliberation has been published.

The online journal is co-edited by Tim Steffensmeier, associate professor of communication studies, and David Procter, director of the Center for Engagement and Community Development. Lyn Carson of the University of Western Sydney in Australia serves as the journal's essay editor. The editorial assistants are Ron Lubensky, also of the University of Western Sydney, and Melanie Pechanec, master's student in communication studies.

Founded in 2004, the journal is supported by the Deliberative Democracy Consortium. In 2010 the journal expanded into a partnership with the International Association of Public Participation. Over the past year, we have strengthened these relationships and have diversified the journal's editorial board. Our 38-member board represents 12 different countries, a wide diversity in disciplinary background, theoretical orientation, and methodological approach to deliberative democracy. Special thanks to guest reviewers, William Schenck-Hamlin, professor of communication studies, and Soo-Hye Han, assistant professor of communication studies.


Interest in the journal continues to expand, and the journal now averages more than 7,500 article downloads annually.

The principal objective of the journal is to synthesize research, projects, and experiences of academics and practitioners in the emerging multi-disciplinary field of deliberative democracy. By doing this, we hope to improve research and practices in this field to enable democracies to be more citizen friendly. The Journal of Public Deliberation publishes articles, essays, and reviews for academic researchers and field practitioners who require the latest information and highest quality theory, research, and analysis concerning public deliberation and public participation. Submitted articles are double-blind peer reviewed by members of the journal's board of editors.

We will be publishing semi-annually with issues planned to be released in September-October and February-March. We also plan on publishing thematic issues edited by leading scholars serving as guest editors for these special issues. We encourage ideas and proposals for specials issues.