AI, Social Justice, and Methodological Integrity

A new Call for Papers is now open on a highly timely and important topic at the intersection of artificial intelligence, ethics, and research methodology.

We invite scholars to contribute to the special issue on “AI, Social Justice, and Methodological Integrity in Qualitative Research Across Contexts.”

📄 Full call details and submission information:
https://www.emeraldgrouppublishing.com/calls-for-papers/ai-social-justice-and-methodological-integrity-qualitative-research-across

About the Special Issue

The rapid integration of artificial intelligence into research practices is transforming how qualitative inquiry is conducted, interpreted, and evaluated. At the same time, these developments raise profound questions about social justice, epistemic fairness, and methodological rigor.

This special issue focuses on how AI reshapes qualitative research across different domains and contexts, with particular attention to:

• The ethical implications of AI-assisted qualitative analysis
• The role of AI in shaping knowledge production and interpretation
• Issues of bias, representation, and fairness in AI-supported research
• The preservation of methodological integrity in the use of AI tools
• Tensions between automation and human judgment in qualitative inquiry
• Context-sensitive applications of AI in socially impactful research settings

A Note on Collaboration

This call is particularly relevant to our ongoing collaborations with leading international researchers in this space.

We are pleased to highlight the work of Shuangyu Li (King’s College London), with whom we have already established a strong research collaboration.

You can read more about this collaboration here.

We strongly encourage colleagues and collaborators in related areas to consider submitting their work to this special issue.

Topics of Interest

Submissions may address (but are not limited to):

• AI in qualitative data collection, coding, and interpretation
• Algorithmic bias and its implications for marginalized communities
• Epistemological challenges introduced by AI in qualitative methods
• Transparency, accountability, and explainability in AI-supported research
• Reflexivity and researcher positionality in AI-augmented studies
• Methodological innovations that balance efficiency with rigor
• Cross-cultural and interdisciplinary perspectives on AI and justice

Why This Matters

As AI systems increasingly participate in the production of knowledge, ensuring that research remains methodologically sound, ethically grounded, and socially responsible becomes critical.

This special issue provides a platform to critically examine:

• Whether AI enhances or undermines research validity and trustworthiness
• How methodological standards must evolve in response to AI
• What it means to conduct just and responsible research in an AI-mediated world

Submission Information

Authors are encouraged to consult the full call for detailed guidelines, timelines, and submission procedures: https://www.emeraldgrouppublishing.com/calls-for-papers/ai-social-justice-and-methodological-integrity-qualitative-research-across

Join the Conversation

This is an opportunity to contribute to an emerging and necessary discourse on the future of qualitative research in the age of AI.

We strongly encourage submissions from scholars across disciplines, especially those engaging critically with the intersection of technology, methodology, and social justice.