Journal of Social Equity and Public Administration

Carrying the Torch Forward, Meeting the Future, and Advancing the Charge

Hillary J. Knepper

Pace University

https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5727-6302

Michelle D. Evans

University of Tennessee at Chattanooga

https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3795-0168

DOI: https://doi.org/10.24926/jsepa.v3i1.6411

Keywords: social equity, Journal of Social Equity and Public Administration, intersectionality, reflexive public administration, global public administration

---

Abstract

As the incoming editorial team, we explore the challenges and opportunities facing social equity in a complex global society and relate them to the opportunities for promoting social equity through the pages of the Journal of Social Equity and Public Administration (JSEPA). The authors discuss the importance of delivering equitable public service through knowledgeable civil discourse from a plurality of voices. The growth of JSEPA’s influence relies upon its inclusive contributions to the social equity discourse. The unending pursuit and submission of excellent research that asks thoughtful, future-focused questions exemplifies the discourse found in JSEPA, where we aim to illuminate the power and necessity of the fourth pillar of public administration—social equity. This pillar takes its rightful place alongside the traditional three pillars of public administration: effectiveness, efficiency, and economy. JSEPA provides a unique space with its focus on this fourth pillar and in doing so, contributes meaningfully to public administration journals committed to the traditional pillars.

---

Author Biographies

Hillary J. Knepper, Pace University

Hillary J. Knepper (she/hers) (hknepper@pace.edu) is a full professor in the Department of Public Administration at Pace University. Previously, she was an administrator in nonprofit and public organizations and brings this strong practitioner perspective to her research on social equity with an emphasis on marginalized and vulnerable populations. Her recent work can be found in Administrative Theory & Praxis, Public Administration Review, Journal of Public Affairs Education, and Public Integrity.

Michelle D. Evans, University of Tennessee at Chattanooga

Michelle D. Evans (she/hers) (michelle-evans@utc.edu) is an associate professor at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. She worked for more than 20 years for Special Olympics focusing on volunteer management and sports governance. Her research focuses on social equity, intersectionality, pedagogy, volunteer motivation, and whistleblowing. Her work has appeared in the Journal of Public Affairs Education, Review of Public Personnel Administration, Human Resource Management Review, and Administrative Theory & Praxis.

---

References

Benjamin, Ruha. 2022. Viral Justice: How We Grow the World We Want. Princeton University Press.

Bergsten, Susanne Seong-eun, and Song Ah Lee. 2023, March 7. “The Global Backlash Against Women’s Rights,” Accessed September 16, 2024. https://www.hrw.org/news/2023/03/07/global-backlash-againstwomens-rights

Chronicle of Higher Education. 2024, August 30. “DEI Tracker.” Accessed September 16, 2024. https://www.chronicle.com/article/here-are-the-states-where-lawmakers-are-seeking-to-ban-colleges-dei-efforts

Evans, Michelle D., and Hillary J. Knepper. 2023. “Women’s Sports and Public Administration: Intertwined Paths to Social Equity.” Administrative Theory & Praxis: 1–22. https://doi.org/10.1080/10841806.2023.2282920

Guy, Mary E., and Brian N. Williams. 2025. “Passing the Baton.” Journal of Social Equity in Public Administration 3 (1): 1–3. https://doi.org/10.24926/jsepa.v3i1.6351

Noack, Rick. 2024, September 15. “Taliban Begins Enforcing New Draconian Laws, and Afghan Women Despair.” https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2024/09/15/taliban-afghanistan-laws-women-rights/.

Reidpath, Daniel D., Sofia Gruskin, Rajat Khosla, Arek Dakessian, and Pascale Allotey. 2023. “Equity in Decline: Fair Distribution in a Worse-off World.” The Lancet, 402 (10406): 943–945. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(23)01304-1