Call for manuscripts: Pluralism in Place: Civic Engagement and the Democratic Promise of Metropolitan Higher Education – Nov 1

Posted by Metropolitan Universities journal on July 28, 2026

Metropolitan Universities journal (MUJ) is accepting full manuscripts for the upcoming special issue on pluralism and democracy.

Pluralism in Place: Civic Engagement and the Democratic Promise of Metropolitan Higher Education

This themed issue invites scholars to explore the intersection of civic engagement, place-based higher education, and community partnerships with pluralism. Metropolitan universities, because of their location within diverse and often complex civic environments, offer particularly fertile ground for examining how institutions cultivate cooperation across differences, while remaining attentive to issues of justice, power, and community voice.

This issue will explore key questions and lines of inquiry around pluralism and democracy, such as:

• How can community engagement initiatives help students develop the skills needed to navigate deep social and ideological differences?
• What role do metropolitan universities play as pluralistic civic actors within their communities?
• How can place-based learning help students understand and engage the histories, tensions, and diversity of the communities surrounding their institutions?
• What tensions arise between pluralism, justice-oriented engagement, and traditional service-learning models?
• How do community partnerships create opportunities for democratic learning across religious, cultural, and political differences?
• In what ways can metropolitan universities function as anchor institutions for pluralistic civic life?

This call for complete, full manuscripts is open to all scholars who have experience with leading and facilitating civic priorities, policies, and programs that encourage pluralism and democracy, in the context of urban and metropolitan campuses. We are pleased to collaborate with our colleagues at Interfaith America, especially with Guest Editors, Dr. Susan Haarman and Dr. Todd Green.

This MUJ issue is scheduled for publication in spring 2027. We invite submissions of manuscripts by November 1, 2026.

Click here for more details about this call for submissions and submission guidelines.