Special Issues

Social Sciences publishes Special Issues to create collections of papers on specific topics, with the aim of building a community of authors and readers to discuss the latest research and develop new ideas and research directions. Special Issues are led by Guest Editors, who are experts on the topic and all Special Issue submissions follow MDPI's standard editorial process. The journal’s Editor-in-Chief and/or designated Editorial Board Member will oversee Guest Editor appointments and Special Issue proposals, checking their content for relevance and ensuring the suitability of the material for the journal. The papers published in a Special Issue will be collected and displayed on a dedicated page of the journal’s website. Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies and Guest Editor responsibilities can be found here. For any inquiries related to a Special Issue, please contact the Editorial Office.

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From Precarious Work to Decent Work
edited by , Hangyoung Lee and Harry Blatterer
submission deadline 30 Jun 2026 | 7 articles | Viewed by 12487 | Submission Open
Keywords: precarious work; decent work; employment; sociology of work; social inequality
(This special issue belongs to the Section Work, Employment and the Labor Market)
Understanding the Influence of Alternative Political Media
edited by Hélder Prior
submission deadline 30 Jun 2026 | 2 articles | Viewed by 2485 | Submission Open
Keywords: alternative media; journalism; political communication; public sphere; social media; disinformation; polarization; populism; democracy
Cybercrime and Digital Victimization
edited by , Simon Mackenzie and Daniel Silverstone
submission deadline 30 Jun 2026 | Viewed by 2042 | Submission Open
Keywords: identity theft; romance fraud; pig-butchering scams; online sexual threats; ransomware; cyberbullying; online harassment; phishing attacks; incident response; cybercrime legislation
(This special issue belongs to the Section Crime and Justice)
Eco-Social Policies and Work in the Poly-Crisis: Sustainable Welfare in a Conflicting Ecological Transition submission deadline 30 Jun 2026 | 1 articles | Viewed by 2014 | Submission Open
Keywords: Eco-social policies; eco-social work; sustainability; ecological change; social inequalities
(This special issue belongs to the Section Social Policy and Welfare)
Sexual Violence in University Settings submission deadline 30 Jun 2026 | 1 articles | Viewed by 1039 | Submission Open
Keywords: sexual violence; acquaintance rape; prevalence; consent; restorative justice; reparation for harm; university women; sexual assault; offender accountability
Language and Discourse in Death, Dying and Bereavement
edited by Michael Brennan, Gayle Letherby, and Kate Woodthorpe
submission deadline 30 Jun 2026 | Viewed by 939 | Submission Open
Keywords: language; discourse; death; dying; grief; end-of-life; narrative; auto/biography; creativity; media
Research on Prisons and Ageing
edited by Julie N. Brancale
submission deadline 30 Jun 2026 | 1 articles | Viewed by 651 | Submission Open
Keywords: prisons; ageing; older inmates; prison healthcare; prison management; prison victimization; re-entry; correctional officers
(This special issue belongs to the Section Crime and Justice)
Improving the Competence and Professional Identity of Social Work Students
edited by Einav Segev
submission deadline 30 Jun 2026 | Viewed by 641 | Submission Open
Keywords: professional identity; competence development; social work education; identity formation interventions; formative experiences; reflective practice; role integration; curriculum innovation
Comparative Perspectives on Law Enforcement Decision-Making Processes and Their Complexities
edited by Ray Bull, Matt Long and Monika Baylis
submission deadline 30 Jun 2026 | Viewed by 313 | Submission Open
Keywords: comparative criminology and policing; law enforcement decision-making processes; discretion; ethical issues/methodological approaches in international criminal justice research; comparative criminological reflexivity; complexities of researching discretion; policing models; protecting the rights of the (alleged) victims; witnesses or offenders; confirmation bias; abuse of power; miscarriages of justice
(This special issue belongs to the Section Crime and Justice)
Exploring the Intersection of Social Policy and Social Innovation submission deadline 30 Jun 2026 | Viewed by 228 | Submission Open
Keywords: social innovation; social policy; social problems
(This special issue belongs to the Section Social Policy and Welfare)
Educational Innovation and Child Participation in Early Childhood Education
edited by Ana Castro Zubizarreta and
submission deadline 30 Jun 2026 | Viewed by 210 | Submission Open
Keywords: educational innovation; early childhood education; child participation; educational quality; educational improvement; teacher training; childhood; educational experiences
(This special issue belongs to the Section Childhood and Youth Studies)
Contemporary Organised Crime: Challenges and Issues
edited by Robert Mclean and
submission deadline 30 Jun 2026 | Viewed by 151 | Submission Open
Keywords: organized crime; drug supply; trafficking; online crimes; fraud; money laundering; international  county lines; exploitation; victimization
(This special issue belongs to the Section Crime and Justice)
The Impact of Legal and Extralegal Factors on Judicial Decision Making
edited by Carly Hilinski-Rosick and
submission deadline 30 Jun 2026 | Viewed by 105 | Submission Open
Keywords: pretrial detention; bail; sentencing; extralegal variables; legal variables; sentencing disparity
(This special issue belongs to the Section Crime and Justice)
Advancing the Social Dimensions of Sustainability Frameworks and Indicators for Resilient Organizations and Communities submission deadline 30 Jun 2026 | Viewed by 82 | Submission Open
Keywords: social sustainability; organizational resilience; psychological safety; employee well-being; technostress; hybrid work; gamification; artificial intelligence in organizations; ethical leadership
Breaking the Silence: Gender Violence in Sports
edited by
submission deadline 30 Jun 2026 | Viewed by 57 | Submission Open
Keywords: power-based violence; gender-based violence; sports; athletics; gender; trans athletes
(This special issue belongs to the Section Gender Studies)
Social Innovation: Local Solutions to Global Challenges
edited by
submission deadline 31 Jul 2026 | 4 articles | Viewed by 14690 | Submission Open
Keywords: social innovation; social entrepreneurship; social finance; cross-sector collaboration; collaborative governance
(This special issue belongs to the Section Contemporary Politics and Society)
Social Work Education in the Context of Globalization: Perceptions, Challenges and Innovations
edited by Denise MacDermott
submission deadline 31 Jul 2026 | 1 articles | Viewed by 1512 | Submission Open
Keywords: sustainable social work practices; social justice; social work in disasters; social work education; social work field education; student– faculty pedagogic partnerships; new technologies and professional development; supervision; inter professional learning; international social work
(This special issue belongs to the Section Social Policy and Welfare)
Emerging Trends in Family and Marriage Behaviors and Values
edited by
submission deadline 31 Jul 2026 | Viewed by 1030 | Submission Open
Keywords: family; marriage; intimacy; emerging trends
(This special issue belongs to the Section Family Studies)
Parenthood in the Contemporary Foster Care System
edited by
submission deadline 31 Jul 2026 | Viewed by 232 | Submission Open
Keywords: shared parenthood; foster care systems; child welfare; parent– child relationship; kinship care; multi-parent families; parental responsibility; children’ s rights; family diversity
(This special issue belongs to the Section Family Studies)
Media, Crime and Public Attitudes
edited by
submission deadline 1 Aug 2026 | Viewed by 72 | Submission Open
Keywords: crime; media; social media; public attitudes; crime myths; public perception
(This special issue belongs to the Section Crime and Justice)
Beyond Arrival: Policies and Practices of Refugee and Immigrant Integration
edited by and
submission deadline 30 Aug 2026 | Viewed by 201 | Submission Open
Keywords: migration; refugees; immigrants; integration; resettlement; inclusion; belonging; social cohesion; migration policy
(This special issue belongs to the Section International Migration)
International Perspectives on Secure Childcare
edited by Caroline Andow, Rachel Dunn, Stefan Kleipoedszus, Nicola Wake, Raymond Arthur and Adeela ahmed Shafi
submission deadline 31 Aug 2026 | 4 articles | Viewed by 6229 | Submission Open
Keywords: secure care; secure alternatives; deprivation of liberty; residential childcare; vulnerable children voice of the child
(This special issue belongs to the Section Childhood and Youth Studies)
Gender Equity in K-12 Education, Academia and Higher Education: A Global Perspective
edited by
submission deadline 31 Aug 2026 | 2 articles | Viewed by 2165 | Submission Open
Keywords: gender; equity; education; disparities; global perspectives
(This special issue belongs to the Section Gender Studies)
The Coming Decade: European Perspectives on Evolving Physical Health Challenges in Prisons submission deadline 31 Aug 2026 | Viewed by 663 | Submission Open
Keywords: prison; incarceration; inequality; prisoner health; physical health
Education Innovation and Change Leadership in an Emerging Artificial Intelligence Society
edited by Eugene G. Kowch
submission deadline 31 Aug 2026 | Viewed by 367 | Submission Open
Keywords: artificial intelligence; digital transformation; leadership development; organizational change; social innovation; higher education innovation; education innovation; educational change
Navigating Citizenship and Education: Refugees, Belonging, and the Production of the “Good Citizen”
edited by and
submission deadline 31 Aug 2026 | Viewed by 140 | Submission Open
Keywords: refugee; education; citizenship; belonging; social cohesion; good refugee
(This special issue belongs to the Section International Migration)
Exploring the Dynamics of Interracial Couples and Families
edited by Gita Seshadri
submission deadline 31 Aug 2026 | Viewed by 136 | Submission Open
Keywords: individual; couple; and relational well-being; mental health; intersectionality; parenting; immigration; race; culture; faith; couple and family identity development; social support; stigma and discrimination; power and privilege; navigating difference
(This special issue belongs to the Section Family Studies)
Innovations in Comparative Welfare Study
edited by
submission deadline 31 Aug 2026 | Viewed by 99 | Submission Open
Keywords: comparative welfare; social policy; welfare state transformation; methodological innovation; social inequality
(This special issue belongs to the Section Social Policy and Welfare)
Life Course Perspectives on Crime from a Trauma-Informed Lens
edited by Christopher Dennison
submission deadline 31 Aug 2026 | Viewed by 90 | Submission Open
Keywords: ACEs; crime; trauma; EMDR; life course criminology; psychedelic-assisted therapy; substance use; PTSD; C-PTSD; criminology
(This special issue belongs to the Section Crime and Justice)
Creative Research and Interventions in Exploitation and Trauma Recovery
edited by Carole Murphy, Runa Lazzarino and Anna Westin
submission deadline 31 Aug 2026 | Viewed by 55 | Submission Open
Keywords: creative health; creative research; trauma recovery; exploitation; gender-based discrimination; participatory methodologies; embodied approaches; survivor-led practice; social determinants of health; representation and storytelling
Integration and Settlement Outcomes Among Immigrant and International Students
edited by , Sonja Senthanar and
submission deadline 10 Sep 2026 | Viewed by 256 | Submission Open
Keywords: international students; immigrant students; educational migration; integration experiences; settlement outcomes; social inclusion & Sense of Belonging; intersectionality; transnationalism
(This special issue belongs to the Section International Migration)
Gender-Based Violence and the Lived Experiences of Survivors
edited by , December R. Maxwell, Sarah Leat and Shaun Thomas
submission deadline 15 Sep 2026 | Viewed by 372 | Submission Open
Keywords: gender-based violence; lived experience; survivors; intersectionality; trauma; resilience; qualitative research; social justice
(This special issue belongs to the Section Gender Studies)
Exposing the Extent of Online Hate Crimes and Hate Speech, and the Barriers and Challenges in Responding to Them
edited by Jane Healy
submission deadline 25 Sep 2026 | Viewed by 283 | Submission Open
Keywords: hate crime; online hate speech; prejudice; extremism; social media
Contemporary Challenges to Democracy, Citizenship and Political Participation
edited by Paul W. Posner
submission deadline 30 Sep 2026 | Viewed by 1621 | Submission Open
Keywords: inequality; political polarization; extremism; identity politics; ethno-nationalism; voter turnout; erosion of trust; decline of political participation; populism; marginalization of minority groups
(This special issue belongs to the Section Contemporary Politics and Society)
Building a Safe Context for Marginalized Youth
edited by Jean Harris-Evans, and Christine Smith
submission deadline 30 Sep 2026 | Viewed by 518 | Submission Open
Keywords: young people/youth; marginalisation; post-COVID; informal education; pedagogies of hope; youth work; intersectionality
Humanitarianism and Solidarity Amidst Global Crises
edited by Charlotte Dany and Alexandre Piron
submission deadline 1 Oct 2026 | Viewed by 55 | Submission Open
Keywords: humanitarianism; international solidarity; humanitarian governance; humanitarian– development– security nexus; migration and human rights; armed conflict and displacement
(This special issue belongs to the Section International Politics and Relations)
Transitioning to Adulthood—Outcomes and Interventions for Youth Aging out of the Foster Care System
edited by
submission deadline 30 Oct 2026 | Viewed by 110 | Submission Open
Keywords: aging out of foster care; transition to adulthood; youth outcomes and resilience; mental health treatment; substance abuse treatment; housing and employment stability; postsecondary education; racial and gender disparities
Refugee Admissions and Resettlement Policies
edited by Niambi Carter
submission deadline 31 Oct 2026 | 5 articles | Viewed by 10506 | Submission Open
Keywords: migration; immigration; asylum/asylee; refugee; border; transmigration; resettlement; human rights; transitional justice; internally displaced persons
(This special issue belongs to the Section International Migration)
Women’s Voices in the Media
edited by Kathryn Shine
submission deadline 31 Oct 2026 | 4 articles | Viewed by 8417 | Submission Open
Keywords: news media; women in the news; gender; gender equality; news sources; news representation; diversity; journalism practice; interviewing; journalism education
(This special issue belongs to the Section Gender Studies)
Technology, Digital Media and Politics
edited by and Gal Yavetz
submission deadline 31 Oct 2026 | 4 articles | Viewed by 4570 | Submission Open
Keywords: digital engagement; social transformations; political movements; international crises; technological innovations; online platforms; global and local case studies
Youth Violence and the Urban Response
edited by Lorece Edwards
submission deadline 31 Oct 2026 | 2 articles | Viewed by 3550 | Submission Open
Keywords: youth violence; urban response; public health; mental health; social determinants; structural inequality; evidence-based solutions
(This special issue belongs to the Section Childhood and Youth Studies)
Population Studies and Human Health Inequalities from a Socio-Demographic Perspective
edited by Peter Curson
submission deadline 31 Oct 2026 | 2 articles | Viewed by 1288 | Submission Open
Keywords: population and human health; infectious disease and human security; population and global disasters; deadly encounters and human behaviour; biosecurity and the biophysical environment; health inequalities; human mobility
Social Policies in the Digital World
edited by
submission deadline 31 Oct 2026 | Viewed by 863 | Submission Open
Keywords: digitalization; social policy; welfare state; automation; datafication; artificial intelligence; big data; digital governance; social equity; privacy
(This special issue belongs to the Section Social Policy and Welfare)
Networks of Impact: Leveraging Social Capital and Social Networks for the Social Integration and Well-Being of Immigrants submission deadline 31 Oct 2026 | Viewed by 726 | Submission Open
Keywords: immigration; social integration; social networks; social capital; social impact; social inclusion; social cohesion
(This special issue belongs to the Section International Migration)
Childhood, Media and Digital Transformation in Education
edited by Jane O’Connor
submission deadline 31 Oct 2026 | Viewed by 235 | Submission Open
Keywords: digital transformation; education; childhood; digital media; digital literacies
(This special issue belongs to the Section Childhood and Youth Studies)
Challenging Norms, Pluralizing Worlds: Global Dialogues on Non-Monogamous and Queer Kinships
edited by Maria Pallotta-Chiarolli, Leehee Rothschild, Antonio Cerdeira Pilão, and Christian Klesse
submission deadline 31 Oct 2026 | Viewed by 69 | Submission Open
Keywords: queer kinship; non-monogamy; decolonial perspectives; transnational intimacy; intersectionality; alternative family formations
(This special issue belongs to the Section Family Studies)
Selected Papers from the 1st International Online Conference on Social Sciences (2026)
edited by and Lawrence Ka-ki Ho
submission deadline 31 Oct 2026 | Submission Open
Keywords: social sciences; IOCSS 2026; crime policing justice; gender studies; family studies; society and technology; aging; childhood; youth
Social Work and Social Policy: Advances in Theory and Practice
edited by Cathy McElderry and Charnetta Gadling-Cole
submission deadline 30 Nov 2026 | 2 articles | Viewed by 3904 | Submission Open
Keywords: social policy; policy development; policy reform; social work practice; equity; service delivery
(This special issue belongs to the Section Social Policy and Welfare)
Virtual Reality for Health and Social Connection in Ageing Societies
edited by Carol Hok Ka Ma and
submission deadline 30 Nov 2026 | Viewed by 476 | Submission Open
Keywords: virtual reality; health; wellbeing; social connection
From Rights to Reality: Making Work–Family Balance Policies Effective and Inclusive
edited by and Elena Macchioni
submission deadline 30 Nov 2026 | Viewed by 16 | Submission Open
Keywords: work– family balance policies; policy implementation  ; welfare governance; social inequalities  ; intersectionality
(This special issue belongs to the Section Work, Employment and the Labor Market)
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