SCHEDULED THEMES
In the spirit of the IPJP’s aim to encourage research in the social sciences within a phenomenological paradigm, the journal aims to have series of special editions, each focussing on particular aspects or categories of phenomenological research and theory.

Undergraduate Submissions
In line with the spirit of the IPJP's vision of actively promoting the development and advancement of phenomenology - in all its many variations and expressions - the journal wishes to encourage undergraduate students to give consideration to submitting work in the field of phenomenological thought and action. Examples of such work might be term papers, synopses of minor research projects, class papers and so on.
 
Each edition of the journal will aim to have a section devoted specifically to undergraduate work in the field of phenomenology.
 
Submissions will be subject to a specific review process which will take into account the nature of these undergraduate submissions while simultaneously providing a quality assurance.

Theme:
Phenomenology in Education
The thought-provoking editorial of the 2002 (September) issue of the IPJP asks for a broadened understanding and acceptance of varied phenomenological orientations to research. Robert Schweitzer draws attention to research apparently inspired by the Duquesne school of phenomenological research, which some believe to be at odds with the rationale and purpose of Husserlian phenomenology.

Over the past 30 years scholars associated with this School (particularly Amedeo Giorgi) have indeed established a tradition of empirical phenomenological research where the focus is on the lived-experience of research participants rather than on how the phenomenon presents itself to the researcher. This approach has found fertile ground in the field of education, perhaps for obvious reasons. Education (and all its associated activities and processes, such as learning, teaching, leading and managing) remains a phenomenon which defies definition and is profoundly about being human. In this regard, the editors are aware of studies in areas such as education leadership (particularly of female leadership), students’ experience of learning (particularly of second or foreign languages), students’ acquisition of academic discourse (again, particularly of non-mother tongue learners), and values in leadership.

The journal intends to publish an issue entirely dedicated to research in education, but not necessarily confined to the empirical orientation to phenomenology. Researchers working in the field of education are encouraged to submit articles, either of completed studies or work in progress.

The IPJP will monitor responses and publish a special issue as and when a sufficient number of quality articles has been received.

The usual peer-review process will apply. Please submit contributions in this specialist area to Professor van der Mescht.


 

Theme:
Method in Phenomenology
The journal is aiming to release a series of periodic special issues devoted to method in phenomenology as distinct from research per se within a phenomenological paradigm. As such, the submitted papers should focus on substantive foundational issues pertaining to the notion of method within the broad ambit of the phenomenological paradigm. There are no specific deadlines for submission of papers since each issue will be released once a suitable number of between four to six papers has been accumulated.

The usual peer-review process will pertain. Please submit contributions in this specialist area to Professor Les Todres.

Theme:
Special Edition: Postgraduate Research in Phenomenology
Postgraduate students themselves are invited to submit articles for consideration by the IPJP for publication in a forthcoming special edition of the journal which will entirely comprise the product of postgraduate student research in the field of phenomenology.

The journal also wishes to encourage supervisors to consider submitting their students’ research work.

The usual peer reviewed process will apply. Please submit contributions in this specialist area to Professor Rex van Vuuren.