Submit a Manuscript to the Journal
Deviant Behavior
For a Special Issue on
Exploring Deviance through Norm-Centered Stigma Theory
Abstract deadline
Manuscript deadline
Special Issue Editor(s)
Meredith G. F. Worthen,
The University of Oklahoma
mgfworthen@ou.edu
Exploring Deviance through Norm-Centered Stigma Theory
This special issue invites sociological and interdisciplinary analyses of Norm-Centered Stigma Theory (NCST) across multiple aspects of deviance. First conceptualized by Worthen in Queers, Bis, and Straight Lies (2020, Routledge), NCST is a theoretical framework that focuses on the importance of norms/norm violations, social power, and interactions among these to test the relationships between norms and stigma.
Since its initial conception, NCST has been utilized to examine:
- Abortion stigma
- LGB life satisfaction and family support
- Slur use, discrimination, harassment, and violence against LGBTQ people
- LGBTQ stigma consciousness, effeminacy stigma, anti-femininity, and gender nonconformity prejudice
- LGBTQ access to sexual violence support devices, dating apps, identity, and safety
- Stigmatization of trans and nonbinary parents
- Police interactions with persons with mental illness
Contributions to this special issue may focus on applications, tests, new conceptualizations and advancements of NCST across any topics related to deviance (broadly conceived).
The special issue welcomes a range of methodological approaches, including qualitative, quantitative, mixed-methods, historical, and theoretical analyses.
The expected publication date is Spring 2028.
All proposed topics must be approved prior to manuscript submission. Send abstracts to mgfworthen@ou.edu by March 1, 2027 for approval.
Submission Instructions
- Authors must submit a brief description of their proposed project for editorial approval prior to submitting a full manuscript.
- Project descriptions should summarize the focus of the paper, theoretical framework, data and methods (if applicable), and relevance to the special issue.
- All proposed topics must be approved prior to manuscript submission. Send abstracts to mgfworthen@ou.edu by March 1, 2027 for approval.
- Full manuscripts should be original, unpublished work and not under review elsewhere.
- Manuscripts may include empirical research articles, theoretical contributions, or integrative literature reviews.
- Qualitative, quantitative, mixed-methods, historical, and theoretical approaches are all appropriate for this special issue.
- Manuscripts should be prepared in ASA format and follow the journal's standard style and formatting requirements.
- When submitting a full manuscript, authors must select the option for the Exploring Deviance through Norm-Centered Stigma Theory special issue in the submission system to ensure proper routing.
- All submissions will undergo the journal's standard peer-review process.
- The anticipated publication date for the special issue is Spring 2028.