Note from the Editor 2018
With the 2018 issue, I am happy to announce that our journal has been in press for ten years. I have been thinking about the journal lately and I have come to realize that much has changed since our first issue. Back then, two of us, Dr. Barb Heather and I, envisioned the creation of a new family journal; a journal in which authors would be able to share their work. We worked diligently in those initial years promoting the journal, encouraging authors from a variety of disciplines to submit their work, taking part in round table discussions relating to online journals, and working with reviewers and associate editors. The early years of this project was special and are remembered with fondness even though the work seemed never-ending. I would like to thank Dr. Barb Heather for her help during those years and would like to let her know that I have missed her presence since her retirement a few years back.
While our journal has obtained and retained its national appeal, a number of our submissions are now international in scope. Some papers come from such faraway places as South Korea, the Philippines, Nigeria, and China. Learning about families from other countries and how they are coping in ever-changing social, political and economic climates appeals to me and to our readers alike. Examining families and family structures and inter-generational relationships, and reading the studies that have been initiated and completed by our authors, enables readers to obtain insight into the values, social norms and rules, expectations, gender roles, and labour divisions that exist around the world. The realization that all families cope with adversity and that everyone rises to the challenges of hardship allows readers to appreciate the hard work, adaptability, and persistence of all individuals involved in a family unit. At the same time, studies relating to the affection, fondness and love found between family members, their support for one another, and the strength and solidarity of familial relationships, offers unique insights into the complex nature of close and intimate relations.
To fully recognize and understand the family, whether it be in its historical form or in a more contemporary one, the editorial board now accepts a variety of written materials for each issue. While full length articles and book reviews continue to be our mainstay, we have encouraged the publication of poetry, lyrics, short stories, reports and commentaries. Such materials allows readers to understand the breadth and reach of the family in a variety of literary formats. (To date, we have not yet received any video documentaries, however with the increase in social media, I am sure that such materials will be a part of all on-line journals in the future and I look forward to their submission).
In terms of acknowledgements, I would like to thank a very valued and important person – David Fischer. Without David, I am sure that our journal would not be as successful as it currently is. His work over the past ten years undertaking the layout of each issue and working as the site administrator has, and continues to be, very much appreciated.
I would also like to thank the many reviewers who have taken their time to make comments on the papers that they have read and the numerous authors who have submitted their work. I would also like to extend my continuing appreciation to the University of Alberta for allowing us access to their servers for our journal and to my MacEwan University colleagues for their support and assistance. Special thanks are also extended to the many readers of our journal.
As a final note, the past ten years have been intellectually stimulating, interesting, enjoyable and incredibly gratifying for me. I have relished the last ten years in my position as managing editor, and I look forward to working with everyone over the next ten years.
Best wishes to all!
Sandra Rollings-Magnusson, PhD
