Fresh Voices and Sneak Peeks at Future Research: Meet Our Emerging Scholars

Abstract

Health and human services administration is a broad tent with ample opportunity to embrace emerging scholars and help them to frame new ideas. The Journal of Health and Human Services Administration aims to continue elevating the visibility of this broad tent, which exists under the even larger tent of public administration. Public service encapsulates an incredibly diverse range of disciplines and management concerns. Yet, the academy can be a challenging arena to navigate. In our efforts to carve out space for new insights we are charged with striking the best balance in our scholarship. In introducing this first issue of our emerging scholars, we have created space for thoughtful reflection about the nature of our discipline and how we welcome, or not, unique and less represented perspectives. Our discipline strives for inclusivity, transparency and relevance. This must extend to our publishing outlets, particularly in terms of peer review and citations. Learning to scan the new literature and diversifying the journals from which we cite our references may result in leveling the citation game. How we engage effectively in building meaningful studies may be argued to require a degree of reflexivity. In other words, the ability to examine one’s own perspectives and assumptions and consider how these impact research study design and implementation from both a personal and functional angle. In reviewing the articles in this issue, I urge you to grow your opportunities to identify new scholars, practitioners and students and mentor them, guide them, and cite their work.