Evaluation Journal of Australasia special issue, Culturally sensitive evaluation.

There has been much recent scholarship on indigenous research and evaluation methods, but there has been less light shed on methods and practices developed within, and for, broader ethnic, cultural, and faith-based communities.

Special issue:

Culturally sensitive evaluation

SPECIAL ISSUE FOCUS

The Evaluation Journal of Australasia (EJA) is collaborating with Ethnic Research Aotearoa on a special issue on culturally sensitive evaluation.

Many countries are experiencing demographic change. For example, in Aotearoa New Zealand, individuals who identify as Asian will likely reach 26% of New Zealand’s population in 20 years (from about 18% in 2023). Those who identify as Middle Eastern, Latin American, or African are projected to increase from 2% of the population to 3%. Similarly, in Australia in the 2021 Census, 18% of resident Australians identified their ancestry as Asian, and 5% as Middle Eastern, Latin American, or African. Population projections suggest that in the next decades there will be a shift in the Australian 65+ year old cohort from being predominantly European-born to Asia-born.

In the face of such extensive changes in demography, mainstream evaluation has not adequately considered how these communities could be better served by tailored evaluation and research methods, cultural practices and culturally derived ways of knowing, and what analytical techniques could be adopted to ensure their voices are heard.

We invite submissions for this Special Issue in the following areas:

  • measurement issues in relation to ethnicity classifications

  • techniques to measure and analyse ethnicity, race, heritage, culture, and ancestry

  • bias in visualisation of ethnic data

  • ethnic data sovereignty

  • faith-based, culture-based, traditional, or culturally responsive approaches and methods for evaluation

  • evaluations of programmes and policies where ethnic communities are key participants.

The scope and topics to be addressed

Manuscript submissions are welcome from authors based in any country. Submissions on evaluation related to ethnicity, cultural affiliation, heritage, ancestry, and faith will be considered. Manuscripts may share significant evaluation insights and findings, implications for evaluation theory or practice, or showcase innovation in evaluation methods. Topics may include, but are not limited to, evaluation insights from:

  • Health, disability, aged care, and other social care sectors

  • Education, tertiary, and skills sectors

  • Economic and social development

  • Emergency management

  • Ethical and equity issues

  • Digital technologies, disruption, and innovation in evaluation practice

  • Methodological or theoretical impacts

  • Implications for reporting on, and communicating, evaluation findings.

Guidelines for submitted manuscripts

EJA has three key article types:

  1. Academic articles (3000-5000 words)

  2. Practice articles (3000-5000 words), and

  3. Review articles (up to 8000 words).

Manuscripts must be underpinned by evidence, make a meaningful contribution to the field of culturally sensitive evaluation, and meet the submission guidelines for the EJA.

Other considerations

  • The EJA editorial team will manage the peer review process.

  • All manuscripts will undergo anonymous peer review.

  • An invitation to submit a manuscript does not imply acceptance, as all submissions undergo anonymous peer review.

  • Manuscript authors are welcome to suggest peer reviewers who may or may not be called upon.

  • There are no fees payable to submit or publish in the EJA. Open access options are available based on institutional affiliations. Ethnic Research Aotearoa is seeking funding for open access for papers that are not eligible.

  • EeMun Chen, Director, Ethnic Research Aotearoa, will be the guest editor of the Special Issue.

  • Queries about the Special Issue can be directed to eja@aes.asn.au or eemun@eraotearoa.org.

Timeline

  • Expressions of interest and an abstract should be sent to the Editor of EJA eja@aes.asn.au by 8 July 2024.

    • midnight, Monday 8 July 2024, NZST

    • 10 pm, Monday 8 July, AEST

    • 9.30 pm, Monday 8 July, ACST

    • 8 pm, Monday 8 July, AWST

  • After review, successful authors will be invited to submit a complete manuscript by 1 November 2024.

  • It is anticipated the Special Issue will be published in mid 2025, although individual articles will be available online shortly after acceptance.