Interest in consensual non-monogamy (CNM), among the general public, clinicians, and researchers, has grown immensely over the last decade. Despite the increase in research on CNM, there are still major gaps in our knowledge. Additionally, people engaging in CNM continue to experience stigma related to their relationship formations and sexual practices. In conjunction with the American Psychological Association Division 44 Task Force on CNM, we are organizing a special section of Archives of Sexual Behavior to highlight social science research on CNM.

At this time, we are inviting proposals for submissions. We welcome a variety of interdisciplinary and disciplinary scholarly submissions and methodological approaches, including empirical (qualitative and quantitative) and conceptual/theoretical pieces advancing the understanding of CNM. We seek manuscripts that are rigorous and high quality that address a wide scope of topics, practices, and theoretical perspectives related to CNM within the social sciences. We welcome anti-colonialist, anti-imperialist, critical, and other radical perspectives aiming to disrupt the status quo within our field and/or in society more broadly.

Topics can include, but are not limited to, swinging, polyamory, open relationships, solo-poly, relationship anarchy, plural marriages, compulsory monogamy, monogamish relationships, multi-partner sex, sex clubs (with a CNM topic focus), and emerging CNM practices and discourses. We acknowledge there is a wide range of CNM practices and ideologies that involve many diverse people with intersectional identities, living in various sociocultural contexts. We value, and hope to bring forward, marginalized voices and knowledge. We are particularly interested in CNM topics that have not yet been covered or are understudied.

Proposals will be a maximum 400 words. The research does not need to be complete at the time of proposal submission, but does need to be completed before the final manuscript deadline. There is no specified format for the proposal. As a general guideline, please include some background information, the research focus or research question, and expected outcomes, results, and/or impact of the manuscript. In addition, please consider adding something about how the proposed research either fills a gap and/or expands current research and knowledge. We also welcome ways the research explicitly links to social, relational, and individual benefits.

Please submit proposals and questions to cnm.manuscripts@gmail.com

If you would prefer to contact us individually with questions, our email contact information is as follows: Carm De Santis, carm.desantis@uwaterloo.ca; Lisa Dawn Hamilton, ldhamilton@mta.ca; Ashley Thompson, thompsoa@d.umn.edu

Deadline for proposals: April 22, 2019, Decisions about proposals: May 1, 2019

Deadline for manuscript submission: October 30, 2019