Call for Papers: Special Issue on "Foundations of Internal Conflicts"

We invite you to contribute a manuscript to our Special Issue "Foundations
of Internal Conflicts" in the Journal of Evolutionary Biology. To express
an interest, or if you'd like to know more about the Special Issue,
please contact Martijn Schenkel: martijn.schenkel@wur.nl

Deadline for submission of manuscripts: 28th February 2026

Summary
Organisms across the tree of life are afflicted by internal conflicts,
where their constituent parts from single genes to swathes of cells are
selected towards different ends. These internal struggles drive genetic
and cellular selfishness, as seen in e.g. meiotic drivers, imprinted
genes, reproductive parasitism, and cancerous cells. The capacity of such
selfish elements to distort phenotypic traits and genetic transmission is
at odds with organismal adaptation and fitness. Despite their pervasive
and profound impact, the study of internal conflicts has long taken
place in an isolated manner. Different selfish elements have been
studied within different communities, resulting in a range of distinct
approaches, rather than a concerted effort fostering common terminology
and methodology. This fragmented approach has hindered a proper evaluation
of how internal conflicts affect organismal adaptation, both in theory
and in practice.

In this special issue, we will explore the fundamentals of the study of
internal conflicts with a focus on the following questions:

(1) What would a common methodological framework for studying internal
    conflicts look like?
(2) How can we connect theoretical and empirical work on internal
    conflicts?
(3) Which hitherto unconsidered factors enhance or diminish the impact
    of internal conflicts on organismal function and adaptation?

All submissions spanning theoretical, empirical, and philosophical
approaches are welcome. In particular, we invite primary research
articles. Drawing on the most recent insights garnered by our community
is essential to answering these fundamental questions.

Guest Editors:
Martijn Schenkel
Arvid Ågren
Manus Patten
Nina Wedell
Thomas Hitchcock

Many thanks, Nicki

Dr. Nicola Cook
Managing Editor

JEB <jeb.office@eseb.org>

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