About

Katie Read
Ph.D. Student (2013)
Educational Leadership and Policy Studies
Virginia Tech

Katie takes an interdisciplinary approach to the study of higher education and to the practice of policy analysis, examining issues such as access, affordability, accountability, and quality.

Journal Manager

Jennifer Lawrence
Ph.D. Student
The Alliance for Social, Political, Ethical and Cultural Thought
Virginia Tech

Jennifer is currently a doctoral student in the ASPECT (Alliance for Social, Political, Ethical and Cultural Thought) program. ASPECT is an innovative new interdisciplinary Ph.D. program at Virginia Tech in the College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences in collaboration with the College of Architecture and Urban Studies and the Pamplin College of Business. Her academic background is in International Political Economy, International Relations, Political Science, and Modern Languages and Literature.  Her current research is of an interdisciplinary nature and is conducted from a problem-centered, theory driven methodology. Issues that she is currently  focused on are at the intersection of economic systems, environmental concerns, and social justice considerations.

Associate Sections Editor

Stefanie Georgakis
Ph.D. Candidate
Planning, Governance, Globalization-School of Public and International Affairs
Virginia Tech

Stefanie is currently a doctoral candidate in the School of Public and International Affairs and is working towards a degree in Planning, Governance, and Globalization. Interdisciplinary by nature, Stefanie holds two Bachelor’s degrees from Virginia Tech in International Studies and French Language and Literature and a Master’s degree from Central European University in Nationalism Studies. Stefanie’s doctoral research focuses on Mediterranean European politics, with particular emphasis on the discursive construction of European identity politics vis-a-vis Turkey and Greece. More broadly, Stefanie is interested in issues concerning identity politics, political theory, and the European Union.

Articles Editor

Christine Calorusso
Ph.D. Student
Architectural Design & Research
Virginia Tech

Chris is a Ph.D. student in the landscape architecture program at Virginia Tech. Her research and teaching focus on opening up spaces for alternative modes of practice and theory development in landscape architecture by examining some of the taken-for-granted values operating in the discipline. Her dissertation research uses post-structural discourse analysis to examine the conceptual frameworks through which contemporary practitioners approach project sites and the influence of these frameworks on the scope and nature of the profession.

Before earning her Master of Landscape Architecture at Virginia Tech, Chris worked as a production editor and publications manager for several academic publishers.

Book Reviews Editor

Stacey Shindelar
Ph.D. Student
Center for Public Administration and Policy
Virginia Tech

Stacey’s research interests include business to government relations and public policy, conflict resolution, public management and leadership, ethics and policy, intergovernmental policy, finance, government performance management, measurement and evaluation, as well as negotiation strategies. Stacey’s career includes a combination of management and leadership experiences within the federal, civil service, military, and private industry. She holds a Masters in Taxation and teaches graduate and undergraduate courses within the field of business administration with a focus on accounting, finance, and taxation.

Multimedia Editor

Nick Kushner
Masters Candidate
Urban and Regional Planning and International Affairs
Virginia Tech, Northern Capital Region Campus

Nick is a dual-degree Masters candidate in Urban and Regional Planning and International Affairs. He attends the Northern Capital Region campus in Alexandria, VA and will graduate in May 2013. Nick attended undergrad at the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities where he received a B.A. in Political Science. He is originally from Milwaukee, WI and now lives in DC. Nick worked for a number of years in the field of refugee resettlement before returning to school. His academic focus is in international development, environmental planning, and energy policy.

Layout Editor

Scott J. Kowalewski
Ph.D. Candidate
Rhetoric and Writing
Virginia Tech

Scott is a Ph.D. candidate in the Rhetoric and Writing program at Virginia Tech. His research interests include new media, multimodal composing, technical/professional communication,  public discourse, and environmental policy.  His dissertation examines public discourse in an online sportsmen forum, as contributions to broader, ongoing conversations of environmental policy and natural resource management. Scott teaches technical writing and first-year composition courses in the Department of English.

Justin Shanks
Ph.D. Student
Science and Technology in Society
Virginia Tech

Justin received a BA in Environmental Studies (2003), earned a MA in English (2009) as well as a Masters of Urban and Regional Planning (MURP, 2009), and is currently working on a PhD in Science and Technology Studies at Virginia Tech. Drawing upon this humanistic and scientific background, Justin’s dissertation work involves an in-depth consideration of our changing knowledge of and relationship to science, technology, and gastronomy. Relying upon STS as an intellectual base, Justin is examining how cookbooks function as historical and cultural artifacts that offer a unique glimpse of the American relationship with food and technology. Aside from his research endeavors, Justin has varied teaching experience both domestically and abroad. He is also the Global PFP fellow at Virginia Tech’s Graduate School.

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Advisory Board

Kelly Belanger, Associate Professor, Department of English, and Director of the Center for the Study of Rhetoric in Society
Karen DePauw, Vice President and Dean for Graduate Education, Dean, Graduate School
Anne Khademian, Professor and Associate Chair, Center for Public Administration and Policy
Tim Luke, University Distinguished Professor, Department of Political Science
Sarah Surak, Assistant Professor of Political Science and Environmental Studies, Salisbury University
Max Stephenson, Professor, Urban Affairs and Planning, Director, Institute for Policy and Governance
C. Edward Watson, Director, Center for Teaching and Learning, University of Georgia

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Journal Sponsors

School for Public and International Affairs

Center for Public Administration and Policy

Government and International Affairs

Urban Affairs and Planning Program

Center for the Study of Rhetoric in Society,

Graduate School, Virginia Tech

Sources of Support

A very special thank you to the Center, its staff, and our other consultants for their continued support of our project.

Center for Digital Discourse and Culture

Adam Bohannon, Technical Guru

Dorothy Terry, Communications Consultant

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Founding Editors

Kimberly Carlson, Center for Public Administration and Policy, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg
Kacey Beddoes, Science & Technology Studies, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg
Elisabeth Chaves, Government and International Affairs Program, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg
Fleur Gooden, Government and International Affairs Program, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg
Beth S. Offenbacker, Center for Public Administration and Policy, National Capital Region

Focus and Scope

Published biannually, issues will feature scholarly refereed articles, book reviews, essays, interviews and other works that develop new knowledge and stimulate advancements in public policy, planning, public administration, governance, globalization, urban affairs and international development. Manuscripts that address the announced theme or question of an upcoming issue, that fall within the above-named areas, may be considered for publication. Interdisciplinary work is strongly encouraged. In addition to manuscripts relating to new developments, we also welcome submissions that re-examine or challenge the deeper questions and assumptions underpinning current theoretical and practical approaches.

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Section Policies

• Articles – Open submissions, indexed, peer reviewed
• Book Reviews – Open submissions, indexed
• Multimedia Submissions – Open submissions, indexed

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Peer Review Process

Scholarly manuscripts submitted to Public Knowledge will be put through a double-blind review process. The editors will make the final decision on publication. Please remove all self-identifying information from your manuscript, including footnotes that might identify you.

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Publication Frequency

The journal is published bi-annually with each issue remaining open for a six-month period. Refereed works are due prior to the opening of an issue. Please consult our Call for Submissions for the upcoming issue’s deadline. Non-peer reviewed works are accepted and published prior to and throughout the six month duration of the issue. This is to help invigorate the conversation throughout the issue’s lifespan.

Items in response to the Call for Submissions will be subject to a double-blind peer review by a faculty member or graduate student. Non-peer reviewed items are those that are submitted to the journal after the start of an issue’s period and/or in response to the issue’s initial work. These will be vetted by the editorial board and posted if acceptable. The editorial board will consider the piece’s relevance to the issue, the level of scholarly engagement, and its overall quality. These pieces should not be viewed as refereed work.

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Open Access Policy

This journal provides immediate open access to its content on the principle that making research freely available to the public supports a greater global exchange of knowledge.

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