This special issue seeks to demonstrate how qualitative and interpretive research can drive meaningful social and behavioural change, particularly for underrepresented and marginalised groups. Rather than relying solely on quantitative metrics, the collection aims to show how deep qualitative inquiry uncovers the psychological and cultural factors that shape human behaviour and can inform ethical, inclusive interventions that address complex social problems.

The call reflects growing recognition that qualitative research must evolve to engage participatory and inclusive frameworks, especially when working with neurodivergent, trauma-affected, and marginalised populations. The special issue responds to an urgent need for research methodologies that empower rather than merely study neglected communities, drawing on approaches such as netnography and community-led participatory methods to create transformative social impact.

Appel publié par Qualitative Market Research. Voir l'appel sur le site de l'éditeur. Fiche de l'appel sur kerostig.

Potential topics

• Present innovative qualitative approaches to design and/or evaluate social marketing initiatives
• Develop qualitative approaches for inclusive research
• Describe participatory approaches (e.g. action research, co-design)
• Engage with difficult, sensitive, or stigmatised topics, developing sensemaking through qualitative methods
• Reflect on the ethics of participatory inclusive methods for behaviour and social change
• Develop longitudinal qualitative frameworks to demonstrate the social impact of ethical interventions and inclusive social marketing strategies

Timeline

• January 10, 2026: Opening date for manuscripts submissions
• December 15, 2026: Closing date for manuscripts submission

Frederike Scholz, HU University of Applied Sciences Utrecht

Joanna Szulc, Gdańsk University of Technology

Paulina Segarra, Universidad Anáhuac México

Zuzanna Staniszewska, Kozminski University

Richard Longman, The Open University Business School

This special issue addresses debates about how management and organizational research is conducted and evaluated, particularly regarding inclusion and equity. It builds on participatory and emancipatory research traditions—including disability studies, feminist approaches, and arts-based methodologies—centered on the principle that research should not be conducted about marginalized groups without their participation. The issue argues that conventional methodologies can sideline or misrepresent lived experience, and seeks to open new possibilities for research that is attentive to power, voice, and epistemic justice.

Appel publié par Management Learning. Lire l'appel complet sur le site de l'éditeur. Fiche de l'appel sur kerostig.

Potential topics

• Inclusive Research and Co-Creation of Knowledge: Collaborative methodologies that engage underrepresented groups as partners in the research process
• Intersectional Approaches: Research attending to intersectional reflexivity and how researchers' and participants' shifting identities shape the research process
• Researcher Reflexivity and Positionality: Critical examination of the researcher's role, including biases, assumptions, and relational positioning
• Ethical Considerations: Work addressing ethical tensions of inclusive research, including consent, access, representation, and power
• Longitudinal and Mixed-methods Approaches: Research tracing lived experience over time and/or challenging rigid separations through integrative designs
• Creative and Arts-Based Methods: Research examining use of creative and arts-based approaches including storytelling, photography, poetry, music, drawing, and multimodal practices
• Digital Tools and Immersive Technologies: Contributions exploring digital and immersive methods with critical reflections on accessibility, participation, and power
• Activism and Advocacy: Work examining how research operates as intervention and contributes to social change through non-traditional communication
• Researching and Writing Differently: Contributions challenging conventional academic forms and experimenting with multimodality, dialogue, and collective-authored texts

Timeline

• June 1, 2026: Call for special issue is released
• April 1, 2027: Deadline for submission of manuscripts
• September 3, 2027: First round of editorial decisions (with reviews)
• December 3, 2027: Resubmission deadline
• April 3, 2028: Second round of editorial decisions
• July 1, 2028: Final resubmission
• October 1, 2028: Final decision