Analyses of Social Issues and Public Policy (ASAP) 
   Kevin Lanning, ASAP Editor

As you read this, the collection of papers on Social Psychology and Contemporary Immigration Policy should be available as a virtual issue on the ASAP/Wiley website (http://tinyurl.com/ASAPwiley).  The collection includes an Introduction, 11 papers, and 5 comments.  The website also includes links to several recent Journal of Social Issues publications on immigration, and will provide scholars, students, and policy makers with a rich set of scholarly perspectives on contemporary immigration policy.

Commentary invited.  In addition to providing the ASAP readership with competing or balanced dialogue, comments provide authors the opportunity to share informed, scholarly perspectives using a medium which, while peer-reviewed, is typically less daunting than a regular manuscript. Please consider submitting a comment in response to one of the three papers described below, each of which is available in the Early View section of the ASAP/Wiley website:

·   The first of these, How Much Is Enough? Examining the Public’s Beliefs About Consumption (Markowitz and Bowerman), reports on survey data concerning the consumption of material goods, and the implications of this for reducing greenhouse gases.  The period for commentary has been extended to September 30, 2011. 

·   In the second paper inviting commentary, Who Helps Natural-Disaster Victims? Assessment of Trait and Situational Predictors, the authors (Marjanovic, Struthers, and Greenglass) demonstrate that willingness to help is complexly determined, but depends in part on the perception of the origins of the event – that is, the extent to which it is truly a ‘natural’ disaster, as opposed to one in which the consequences were driven by negligence on the part of governments or the citizensthemselves.  Comments will be accepted for review through January 31, 2012.

·   In the third paper inviting commentary, Testing Theories of Radicalization in Polls of U.S. Muslims, Clark McCauley examines the structure of opinions in polling data collected from samples of Muslim Americans.  McCauley’s paper points to the heterogeneity of American Muslims and suggests that a multiplicity of messages is needed to combat potential sympathy and support for jihadist terrorism. For this paper, too, comments will be accepted for review through January 31, 2012.

Editorial board changes. With the 2012 Volume, ASAP will expand its editorial board to include two Associate Editors.  AnAssociate Editor for Historical Perspectives will be responsible for shepherding manuscripts explicitly framed by historical content as well as person-centered pieces such as SPSSI-relevant autobiographies, obituaries, and biographies. SPSSI Historian Alexandra Rutherford of York University has agreed to serve in this capacity. An Associate Editor for Commentary will assist with the flow of target papers and commentary.We will have an opening for a new Book Review Editor for 2012, as Wendy has asked to step down.  Nominations, including self-nominations, are welcome. 

Journal impact.Finally, ASAP has been listed in the bibliometric database compiled by Elsevier (http://www.scimagojr.com/) and is now in the top quartile of journals in its category.