The Journal of American Studies, BAAS’s flagship publication, is one of the longest-running and most respected area studies journals in the world. Its purpose is to critique and interrogate the notion of “America,” pursuing this through interdisciplinary perspectives on the history, literature, politics, and culture of the United States, from the colonial period to the present, and in domestic, continental, hemispheric, and global contexts. Published from the UK, it serves an increasingly global audience of authors and readers. JAS publishes peer-reviewed research articles, but also review essays, pedagogy essays, roundtables, features and book reviews. Celebrating its 60th anniversary this year, JAS is published by Cambridge University Press.

BAAS and the Journal of American Studies are pleased to announce that they will be recruiting for the following roles at JAS in Summer 2026, for start dates of 2 January 2027. All appointments are for a four-year period.

The current co-editors, Katie McGettigan and Will Norman, are available to speak to anyone interested in any of the roles below at the BAAS Conference in Glasgow, or otherwise by appointment. Anyone interested should contact them at: jas@baas.ac.uk.

Candidates for all roles must have the right to work in the UK and must be resident in the UK at the time of appointment. BAAS wishes to attract applications from candidates who will support BAAS’s ongoing work in fostering, cultivating, and preserving a culture of diversity and inclusion. As such, successful candidates will work to protect and enhance JAS’s reputation for promoting equality, diversity, and inclusivity across rank, intellectual profile, and background, and candidates from historically underrepresented backgrounds are especially encouraged to apply.

Co-Editor

BAAS seeks an experienced, research-active scholar of interdisciplinary American Studies to join Will Norman as co-editor of the organization’s flagship publication, Journal of American Studies.

The Co-Editors have responsibility for the overall running of the Journal, and for determining its intellectual vision. Their responsibilities include (but not limited to) screening initial submissions, appointing peer reviewers, adjudicating across reports, commissioning special issues, writing annual reports, liaising with CUP’s production and editorial teams, liaising with BAAS about the appointment of editorial board members, promoting the Journal at national and international events, inaugurating new initiatives, and determining the direction and overall intellectual vision of the Journal. 

The JAS editors line-manage the Associated Editors and JAS’s administrative staff.Experience of administrative and/or team leadership, mentoring early-career colleagues, and supporting professional development is desirable.

Candidates should have a track record of research excellence, should be embedded in the UK American Studies community, and committed to developing the full breadth of interdisciplinary research into the United States. Candidates with interests and expertise in the United States before 1900 are especially encouraged to apply, as are candidates working in US history and/or politics.

[Co-Editor Hourly Rates are paid on the Grade 8 BAAS Pay Spine and include profit share and some expenses for travel and conference attendance on JAS business]

Associate Editor: Book Reviews

BAAS seeks a research-active scholar of American Studies to take up a role as one of two Associate Editors, with responsibility for JAS’s book reviews. These will appear in the non-peer review section of the journal, “Readers’ Room.”

The duties of the Associate Editor: Book Reviews will include: selecting books for review from across the breadth of work produced in American Studies; appointing reviewers; commissioning review essays; editing reviews; working with the Editorial Assistant, Journal Manager and CUP production team to progress revisions through production.

The Associate Editor: Book Reviews will also work alongside the Associate Editor: Features to ensure that the non-peer review section of the journal speaks to the full range of research interests in American Studies, and continues and enhances JAS’s work in promoting equality, diversity, and inclusivity across rank, intellectual profile, and background. They will also work under the Co-Editors to further their vision for the journal more widely.

Candidates should have a track record of research excellence appropriate to their career stagein any area of American Studies. They should be embedded in the UK American Studies community and committed to developing the full breadth of interdisciplinary research into the United States.

[JAS Associate Editor Hourly Rate Salaries are paid on the Grade 7 BAAS Pay Spine]

Associate Editor: Features

BAAS seeks a research-active scholar of American Studies to take up a role as one of two Associate Editors, with responsibility for JAS’s features. These are non-peer review short essays and comment pieces that appear in the non-peer review section of the journal. JAS’s current features series include Roundtables, Bookshelf (in which participants discuss important works in American Studies), and The Talk (an interview series, foregrounding work on race and by scholars of colour).

The duties of the Associate Editor: Features will include: commissioning articles for JAS’s existing features series; developing a pedagogy strand for the non-peer review section; developing other features series in consultation with the co-Editors; working with the Editorial Assistant, Journal Manager and CUP production team to progress revisions through production.

The Associate Editor: Features will also work alongside the Associate Editor: Book Reviewsto ensure that the non-peer review section of the journal speaks to the full range of research interests in American Studies, and continues and enhances JAS’s work in promoting equality, diversity, and inclusivity across rank, intellectual profile, and background. They will also work under the Co-Editors to further their vision for the journal more widely.

Candidates should have a track record of research excellence appropriate to their career stage in any area of American Studies. They should be embedded in the UK American Studies community, and committed to developing the full breadth of interdisciplinary research into the United States.

[JAS Associate Editor Hourly Rate Salaries are paid on the Grade 7 BAAS Pay Spine]