Dear NAISA members,

NAISA Council seeks applications for lead editor(s) and the editorial office of the Native American and Indigenous Studies (NAIS) journal, with the official term beginning June 1, 2027. Please see application information below.

As we all know, the NAIS journal is one the gems of NAISA. As a peer-reviewed academic journal dedicated to publishing the best interdisciplinary scholarship in Native American and Indigenous Studies, NAIS has become a leading journal in the field.

NAISA Council would like to take this opportunity to extend our sincerest gratitude to the journal's current editors, Dr. Gina Starblanket and Dr. Heidi Kiiwetinepinesiik Stark. Their expertise and leadership have been critical to the continuity of NAIS as an internationally leading scholarly publication in Native Studies.

Chaltumay! / Thank You! / Gracias!

Truly yours,

Luis E. Cárcamo-Huechante

NAISA President

CALL FOR APPLICATIONS: Editorship of the journal NAIS

DEADLINE: June 15, 2026 or until Editor(s) is named.

NAISA Council seeks applications for lead editor(s) and the editorial office of the Native American and Indigenous Studies journal. The official term to begin June 1, 2027 for a minimum of four years, with possible annual reappointment thereafter, to a maximum service of seven years. Individuals or teams are welcome to apply for the editorship. Applications are due by 15 June, 2026.

We encourage potential applicants to direct queries to Council at admin@naisa.org

The current co-editors will also be available to provide information on editorial office processes, budget, and other questions. Interviews will be conducted virtually by Council. The successful applicant(s) for editor will have a 5 to 6 month period of “shadowing” the current editors in all work of the editorial office to ensure a smooth transition. This "shadowing" period will start in early January of 2027 at the latest.

NAIS, the journal of Native American and Indigenous Studies, is a peer-reviewed scholarly journal dedicated to publishing the best interdisciplinary scholarship in international Native American and Indigenous Studies. NAIS publishes two issues per volume per year through an agreement between NAISA and the University of Minnesota Press (UMP). The journal provides a forum for different kinds of research, intellectual traditions, and knowledge practices to be placed in conversation in order to extend our understanding across disciplinary and epistemological boundaries. See naisa.org/journal-nais for more information on mission, submission guidelines, editorial policies and ethical guidelines, Editorial Board membership, and more.

The first issue was published in 2014 under the direction of founding editors Dr. Jean O’Brien and Dr. Robert Warrior. In 2015, the Council of Editors of Learned Journals recognized NAIS with the award for the Best New Journal. Over the years, the NAIS Editorial Office has been staffed by two half-time graduate student Managing Editors and financially supported by UMP ($2,000/year stipend), royalty shares, NAISA Council, and the Editors’ home institution(s). The home institution(s) should provide the bulk of financial support, which typically includes 1 course release per year for each of the journal’s co-editors and funding for the graduate student Managing Editor positions, totaling 10 hrs/week. Editorial processes operate independently of NAISA Council but the editors make an annual report to the Council at the association’s annual meeting.

POSITION DESCRIPTION

KEY CRITERIA FOR APPOINTMENT: an established record of scholarship in Native and Indigenous studies, including strong awareness of the worldwide scope of Indigenous studies; managerial skills to oversee the editorial cycle and meet deadlines; the ability to attract high-quality manuscripts for submission and respected experts to the Editorial Board. Candidates must be members in good standing of NAISA and maintain their membership for the duration of the appointment.

PREFERRED CRITERIA FOR APPOINTMENT: a rank of tenured associate professor or higher; editorial experience; and evidence of institutional support and commitment for the duration of appointment – such as release time for editor(s), salary and/or tuition support of graduate students as Managing Editors, general office support, and office space as necessary.

Major responsibilities of the editor(s) of NAIS include:

• providing a clear vision for the direction of the journal within the larger mandate of NAISA;
• managing the journal budget and planning for the future;
• communicating in a timely and transparent manner with all stakeholders (e.g. those submitting manuscripts, reviewers, Council, UMP, and NAISA membership)
• supporting ethical, rigorous, and supportive peer review processes, including developmental review to help guide authors into the peer review process;
• managing the peer review process in a timely and professional manner;
• assisting authors in polishing their manuscripts for publication;
• working closely with the Press to meet deadlines, from submission of each issue through copy-editing and proof-reading stages;
• drawing on the expertise and advisory capacity of the appointed Editorial Board for the benefit of the journal;
• overseeing the NAIS Writing & Mentoring Fellowship, in conjunction with the Editorial Board;
• delivering to Council in advance of the annual conference a written report on the journal’s yearly activities, which will also be made available to the NAISA membership;
• attend the annual conference and be present at the general meeting to represent the journal to the membership.

The Editor(s) may have opportunities to make presentations to different constituencies engaged in Native American and Indigenous studies, scholarly editing, and related issues; this could involve travel and additional time and preparation commitments.

The application packet should include:

• Cover letter (5 pages max.) that addresses your qualifications, offers a sense of your vision for NAIS, and clearly describes the structure of the editorial office and responsibilities as you envision them. We strongly encourage all candidates to discuss their intentions with their academic administrators (deans, department chairs, etc.) so that they can come to the interview prepared to articulate the institutional support they will receive if appointed to the editorship. Institutional support is not a requirement for application but is strongly preferred.
• Curriculum Vitae or resumé

All application packets (in PDF format) should be sent to: admin@naisa.org