Is that all?—Reflections on beginnings, endings, and hopeful transitions

Abstract

My inaugural issue as Editor-in-Chief (for the Americas region) coincides with several exciting changes. We welcome the addition of a new Assistant editor, Yun Chen, and a recently appointed Book Reviews editor, Deirdre Lanesskog, who also moves into her new role as Associate editor. Over the past 2 decades, Qualitative Social Work (QSW) has grown from 4 issues to 6, and correspondingly, the number of submissions we receive from all corners of the global has also increased. Here at QSW , we hold that the de-velopment of high-quality scholarship means investing in our authors and reviewers through a rigorous but fair and transparent peer-review process. We also want to respond quickly and effectively to our submissions. We are delighted that Yun Chen and Deirdre Lanesskog have joined us in their new roles on the editorial team. This fi rst issue of 2023 is also bittersweet. The eminent Karen Staller, who after 10 years of unwavering service to the journal as Co-Editor, has stepped down. It is hard not to see this as an end of an era. Ten years ago, Professor Staller invited me to join QSW as an Associate editor. I was all too familiar with her groundbreaking work with runaway youth (Staller, 2004, 2006, 2006b, 2010) and her captivating writing style that transports you into the minds and sentiments of others (Staller, 2007). It was a decision I have never regretted, and I have learned countless lessons about the peer-review process, the behind-the-scenes of publishing across three global regions, and the power of the editorial to reach a broad audience. Over the past 10 years, I have come to view Professor Staller as the essence of the journal. Its emphasis on rigorous qualitative inquiry