Call for Book Proposals – Monographs or Edited Volumes on the Politics of Vulnerability

Vernon Press invites proposals for monographs or edited volumes on the politics of vulnerability.

Migrants and refugees, the chronically destitute, victims of natural disasters - while each of these groups experiences ‘vulnerability’ in its own way (perhaps resisting the label “vulnerable” altogether), there is little doubt that their situations often provoke an anger and concern that, in turn, might inspire an effective politics of compassion and accountability. It is certainly no surprise that politicians attempt to harness the strong emotions provoked by the existence of such groups (not to mention their even more susceptible members - the elderly, children and disabled). Unfortunately, this has not stopped the institutions they represent from discriminating against the vulnerable according to categories such as race, gender, or immigration status. The politics of compassion, linked to a vulnerability that crosses lines of cultural and economic difference, is replaced by the familiar identity-based paradigms where vulnerability is reinforced by those very differences. Perhaps less well-defined as a political project is how the “social protection” wielded in response to vulnerability leads to excessive intervention and even violence. Moreover, just as generalizations about the ‘suffering’ and ‘resilient’ justifies paternalistic attitudes at home, so images of third world women, black children and queers can lead to imperialist interventions abroad.

All proposals focused on exploring different manifestations of vulnerability - from the inevitable (childhood, illness, ageing) to the preventable (poverty) and unexpected (natural disasters and economic recessions) – from any academic discipline are encouraged to be submitted.

Possible contributions include:

• Post-identity and social justice
• Neoliberalism and responsibilisation of the vulnerable
• The colonial politics of rescue
• Sensationalism as a source of political affect.

How to submit your proposal

Please submit monograph proposals (approx. two pages) to submissions@vernonpress.com including a summary, a short biographical note and (if applicable) a list of similar titles using this form: Proposal form. More information on what we look for in a proposal is available on our website.

About the publisher

Vernon Press is an independent publisher of scholarly books in the social sciences and humanities. We work closely with authors, academic associations, distributors, and library information specialists to identify and develop high quality, high impact titles.