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The Social Forces Book Review
Mission Statement
The Book Review section of Social Forces aims to provide fresh, useful information on books of significant interest to sociologists and other social scientists. Some principles that inform this goal include:
- Books are selected for review based on their inherent interest to Social Forces' audience. Books are never rejected for review due to lack of space.
- Periodic review essays, review symposia, and the like are scheduled to offer space for consideration of books that, for one reason or another, deserve special treatment.
- We keep in mind that there are two other excellent book reviews in general sociology: those in Contemporary Sociology and in the American Journal of Sociology. Where possible, we seek to offer reviews of books and/or review angles that will not be covered in those outlets.
- The core list of books to be reviewed includes books by sociologists, published by prominent university and academic presses, containing new research or theory. Such books are virtually always sent out for review, although occasionally we cannot recruit a suitable reviewer.
- The peripheral list of books consists of books to be reviewed if the editor considers them of interest to the readership. These include books by social scientists outside the U.S.; books by nonsociologists with links to sociological questions; and books in the public discourse of special interest to sociologists.
Frequently Asked Questions
How can I become a reviewer for Social Forces?
We're always looking for qualified reviewers. Send a curriculum vitae and a short letter or statement of interest to the Social Forces office or by e-mail to SocialForces_Books@unc.eduI have a review I've written of an important book. May I submit it to Social Forces?
No. We do not consider unsolicited reviews or review requests under any circumstances. The only guarantee we have that reviews are objective and unbiased is that we solicit the reviews from qualified reviewers. In fact, a request to be the reviewer of a book, and even more the submission of an already-written review, is an indication that you are not an appropriate reviewer for it.
How can I arrange to have my book reviewed in Social Forces?
The necessary condition is that we receive the book itself. We do not commit to reviewing any book without first having it in the office. Still, we discard nearly 90% of books that arrive here. To submit a book for review, send it to:
Social Forces Book Reviews
University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
CB#3210, Hamilton Hall
Chapel Hill, NC 27599-3210 USA
How do you choose books to review?
In general, we like to review books that are:
- Published by university presses
- Newly-published works
- Cohesive books with coherent arguments
- Written by sociologists
- Of professional interest to sociologists
- Published by vanity and mass-market publishers
- Written by non-sociologists and not of professional interest to sociologists
- Second (and above) editions
- Edited volumes
- Written by non-academics
- Over two years old
- Primarily political or normative
How do you choose reviewers for books?
We look for qualified experts in a related field to offer insight into the book's strengths and weaknesses. We often seek reviewers whose work is tangential to the book's theme, in order to generate reviews that are of interest to the widest possible social scientific audience. Books by sociologists may sometimes be reviewed by non-sociologists; books by non-sociologists should generally be reviewed by sociologists.
Have you received my book for review?
Our computer system is not currently able to answer this question definitively. We are working on upgrading the system to allow that. For now, if you have a compelling reason to need an answer, please email SocialForces_Books@unc.edu. It may take two weeks or so for us to answer.
I submitted my solicited review a while ago. When will it be published?
Reviews are published thematically, not in the order they arrive. We try to publish all reviews within a year of their arrival; however, limitations of space and other reviews may require adjustments.
What are you looking for in a review?
The typical book review is approximately 800 words, and offers primarily a serious evaluation of the book's successes and failures. A summary is not required or even desired; publishers provide these upon request. Rather, we prefer pithy, original reviews that raise interesting questions, offer serious praise and critiques, and demonstrate the book's utility (or lack thereof) for other social scientists.
Will reviewing a book for Social Forces increase or decrease my chances of having my research published in the journal? How about of being asked to review manuscripts?
No. The book review and manuscript sections of the journal are completely separate.