Abstract
At long last in the history of science and, indeed, human relations, awareness of the importance of diversity to understanding who we are as humans and how we react to events as our lives unfold has reached some level of acceptance. Over five years ago, the Journal of Interpersonal Violence established a policy requiring every manuscript accepted for publication to address diversity. As that policy states, JIV views diversity in the broadest sense and asks authors to grapple with the implications of their research in terms of diversity. It was expected and hoped that authors would engage diversity as it naturally flowed from their research. It was thought that asking the question was a key first step in addressing diversity.
The JIV Diversity Policy states:
JIV requires all submissions to include a discussion of diversity as it applies to the reviewed research (e.g., nature of the sample, limitations of the measurement). The discussion should address the body of knowledge reviewed as it addresses or fails to address issues of diversity. Diversity concerns are not criteria for publication but must be addressed. The nature of the discussion and amount of space devoted to the discussion is the responsibility of the author(s). JIV understands diversity to include all aspects of human differences such as socioeconomic status, race, ethnicity, language, nationality, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, geography, ability, age, and culture. Diversity as a core value embodies inclusiveness, mutual respect, and multiple perspectives and serves as a catalyst for expanding knowledge and practice with all human beings. While science seeks knowledge that can be generalized, it must appreciate that specific findings, while important in understanding the unique experiences of individuals or groups, are not necessarily applicable to all.
Experience has taught us that this expectation exceeded current thinking among many researchers. While there appears to be an appreciation for the importance of considering diversity, understanding what that means at every level of the research process can be a struggle for many authors. JIV believes asking the questions is an important step in moving the field to a full appreciation of what considering diversity in research means.
To further authors’ own work toward thinking about diversity in every aspect of research, JIV has asked two leading scholars to prepare manuscripts on this topic. It is with great pride that JIV now has the opportunity to publish Tricia Bent-Goodley, “Diversity in Interpersonal Violence Research” and Emiko Tajima, “First, Do No Harm: From Diversity and Inclusion to Equity and Anti-Racism in Interpersonal Violence Research and Scholarship.”