From Concept to Publication: A Guide to Edited Volume

On June 14, 2025, the Department of Sociology, CHRIST (Deemed to be University), hosted a highly engaging and insightful session titled “From Concept to Publication: A Guide to Edited Volume.” The session was led by Ms. Suvira Srivastav, Professor of Practice at CHRIST University and former Publishing Director at Springer Nature, whose distinguished career spans over two decades in academic publishing and editorial leadership across global platforms.

Ms. Srivastav drew upon her vast experience to demystify the process of creating an edited volume, walking participants through each stage—from ideation and conceptualization to dissemination and impact. She elaborated on the distinctive role of edited volumes in academia, emphasizing how they serve as intellectual spaces that foster collaboration, interdisciplinarity, and critical engagement.

The discussion covered practical aspects such as:

• Structuring a call for chapters and framing it around a coherent theme.

• Curating contributors and ensuring academic diversity and quality.

• Managing peer review processes with fairness and transparency.

• Editorial strategies for balancing scholarly rigor with accessibility.

• The ethics of academic authorship and maintaining integrity in publishing.

Ms. Srivastav also addressed the broader ecosystem of academic publishing, reflecting on knowledge management, scholarly communication, and the evolving dynamics of global publishing platforms. Her reflections provided participants, particularly early career researchers, with clarity on how to move beyond the thesis and conceptualize their work for a wider scholarly readership.

For postgraduate students and emerging scholars, the session was both practical and inspiring. It offered a roadmap to navigate the complexities of academic publishing while underscoring the importance of collaboration, originality, and ethical responsibility. Many participants noted how the session illuminated the challenges and opportunities of editing scholarly collections, making the process more approachable and purposeful.

The Department of Sociology recognizes that academic publishing is a critical component of research training. Sessions like this align with our commitment to capacity-building, interdisciplinary knowledge creation, and preparing students for global research landscapes. By bridging theory with practice, this seminar reaffirmed the value of equipping young scholars with editorial and publishing skills that extend beyond the classroom.

“From Concept to Publication: A Guide to Edited Volume” was more than a technical workshop—it was a reflection on the power of academic collaboration and the ways in which publishing can shape disciplines, conversations, and communities of knowledge. The Department extends its gratitude to Ms. Suvira Srivastav for generously sharing her expertise and to all faculty and students who participated with such enthusiasm.

As the academic community at CHRIST continues to grow, we look forward to hosting more such initiatives that empower students to envision their research as meaningful contributions to global scholarly discourse.