Winter NEWSLETTER 2025 SOCIAL PROBLEMS THEORY DIVISION of the Society for the Study of Social Problems MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIR Greetings, Social Problems Theory Members! It was truly wonderful getting to spend time with some of you at the Annual Meeting a few months ago in Chicago. Thank you to everyone who attended our sessions, and to our members who helped organize and chair! During the conference, we had an incredibly productive Business Meeting discussing our division’s identity, awards, and session reallocations that are being implemented in SSSP. I would encourage you to review the copy of the meeting notes that are now published on the division website (https://www.sssp1.org/index.cfm/pageid/1240). There are two important changes I would like to highlight now. First, we have now created a Bluesky account for our division’s social media platform – please follow @sptheorydivision. Second, as a result of session reallocations across SSSP, we will now hold 2 division-sponsored and four cosponsored sessions. Below, you will find the call for papers for our 2026 sessions. The submission portal is now open – please submit your papers for the 2026 annual meeting by January 31st. I am excited to see you in New York! In this newsletter, you will also find the call for papers for our division-sponsored awards. I am excited to announce that we are introducing the new Junior Scholar Award this year! Each year, we will alternate between this award and the new Mid-Career Faculty award each year. I look forward to the opportunity to celebrate all the incredible work that each of you is doing! Lastly, on page 6, you will find the recent publications of our division members. Please send me (jhstout@ilstu.edu) recent works and publications to include in our summer newsletter and share with our members Best, Joshua H. Stout Social Problems Theory Division Chair 2024-2026 Department of Criminal Justice Sciences, Illinois State University IN THIS ISSUE: Pages 2-3: Call for Papers Page 4: Annual Meeting Theme Page 5: 2026 Annual Meeting Division-Sponsored Sessions Page 6: Recent Member Publications Editor: Kimberly A. Ingold Joshua H. Stout Illinois State University 1 Winter NEWSLETTER 2025 2026 CALL FOR PAPERS Graduate Student Paper Award Deadline: 1/31/26 The Social Problems Theory Division invites papers for its annual Student Paper Award Competition. To be eligible, papers must: 1.be authored or co-authored by students currently enrolled in a graduate program, 2.make an original and innovative contribution to the theoretical understanding of social problems, 3.not have been accepted for publication, 4.not have been previously presented at SSSP or presented or accepted for presentation at other professional meetings, unless substantially revised with new data, findings, or theoretical contributions. 5.may not be co-authored by a faculty member or other non-student, and 6.be submitted through the Annual Meeting Call for Pap ers process as a condition for consideration, preferably to a Social Problems Theory Division session. 7.only be submitted to one division for consideration. Self-nominations are welcome. Manuscripts should be limited to fewer than 10,000 words, including references. The winner will receive membership dues, Annual Meeting registration (if you attend), an electronic certificate of recognition, and $200 honorarium. The winner will also be invited to present their paper at the 2026 SSSP Annual Meeting - while presenting at the Annual Meeting is expected and encouraged, it is not required to receive award funding. Please also note that students may only submit a paper for consideration to one SSSP Division. A paper submitted to multiple divisions will not receive consideration for the Social Problems Theory Division Award. Please send all questions and submissions to: Joshua Stout, Chair, Social Problems Theory Division: jhstout@ilstu.edu. 2 Winter NEWSLETTER 2025 2026 CALL FOR PAPERS Outstanding Book Award Deadline: 1/31/26 The Social Problems Theory Division requests nominations for its Outstanding Book Award. The Division welcomes books that critique or advance the ongoing scholarly and public dialogue about social problems theorizing. More information regarding the Division’s vision can be accessed through our Mission Statement. Eligible books must have been published between 2024-2026. Single or multiple-authored books will be accepted. Authors are encouraged to nominate their own work. Nominees must be members of SSSP. If the book is co-authored and only one author is a current member, the expectation is that all authors will become members of SSSP to accept the award. Please send a brief nomination letter to the Social Problems Theory Division Chair, Joshua Stout (jhstout@ilstu.edu) and arrange to have copies of the book sent directly to all three members of the Outstanding Book Award Committee Chair. Junior Scholar Award Deadline: 1/31/26 The Social Problems Theory Division is now accepting nominations for the Junior Scholar Award. The purpose of this award is to recognize the research (publication, grants, etc.), service, and/or mentorship within the discipline of Social Problems Theory. Eligible candidates must have defended their doctoral dissertations within five academic years prior to the annual meeting at which the award is made. All award nominees must be current members of the SSSP and the Social Problems Theory Division. You may become a member of the division to be considered. Self-nominations are encouraged. Winner will receive the award at the Social Problems Theory Division Business Meeting at the SSSP Annual Meeting in New York in August 2026. Please send a nomination letter and a complete CV to Brian Monahan (bmonahan@bw.edu). 3 Winter NEWSLETTER 2025 2026 ANNUAL MEETING 4 Winter NEWSLETTER 2025 2026 SESSIONS SPONSORED BY THE SOCIAL PROBLEMS THEORY DIVISION 5 Winter NEWSLETTER 2025 RECENTLY PUBLISHED ARTICLES FROM THE MEMBERSHIP Sione Lynn Pili Lister. 2025. Relational colonialisms and a turn to place based epistemologies. Critical Sociology (Online First). https://doi.org/10.1177/08969205251367449 Meghan L. Rogers and Kimberly A. Ingold. 2025. Trade, tolerance, and transformation: How globalization reshapes gender equality and female homicide victimization. Justice Quarterly (Online First). https://doi.org/10.1080/07418825.2025.2595246 Joachim J. Savelsberg, Jillian LaBranche, Miray Philips. 2025. Prosecutorial-NGO Complex: New legal opportunity structures and the role of (I)NGOs in universal jurisdiction trials on Syria. Law & Society Review (Online First). https://doi.org/10.1017/lsr.2025.10062 6