Presents a distinct scholarly question and original findings, with methods, analysis and evidence reported in enough detail for critical assessment.
Aims & Scope
EJSIR Journal of Social Science, Policy and Development
Publishes social-science research on development, public policy, institutions and societal change. Submissions should explain their conceptual framework, population or setting and methods, then relate conclusions to the evidence without overgeneralizing.
Journal aim and scope
The journal aims to publish research that deepens understanding of social structures, public institutions, development and policy. It welcomes empirical, theoretical and interdisciplinary work when the social-science contribution is explicit and methods are transparent. The central contribution should fit at least one of the journal’s academic sections and be meaningful to readers in social science, policy and development.
Appropriate approaches include qualitative, quantitative and mixed-methods research, comparative and historical analysis, surveys, interviews, administrative data and policy evaluation. Authors should describe sampling, instruments, context, positionality where relevant, ethics and analytical limitations. Authors should define the research question, connect the approach to the question, describe sources or materials and analytical choices, and provide enough information for critical assessment. Interdisciplinary work is welcome when its relevance to the journal is clear and the methods used for each component are explained.
Interpretations and claims should follow from the reported evidence. Authors should identify uncertainty, limitations and alternative explanations where relevant, and distinguish demonstrated results from implications or future work. Studies involving people, animals, sensitive data or protected material should describe applicable ethics, consent, privacy and permissions.
Policy conclusions without a defined evidence base, descriptive accounts without analysis, and generalizations that exceed the studied community, place or period fall outside scope. Manuscripts outside the listed sections or lacking an assessable scholarly contribution may be declined at editorial screening. The section descriptions below provide more detailed guidance on topic fit.
Academic sections
The scope is organized into named sections so authors can identify the closest disciplinary route. Review each section description before selecting a journal.
Development StudiesPublic PolicySociologyPolitical EconomyDemographyUrban & Regional StudiesScience & Technology StudiesSocial Data ScienceInequality & InclusionSustainable Development
Article types
Article type does not by itself determine suitability. The manuscript must fit the journal’s subject scope and meet the relevant standards for evidence, reporting, ethics and transparency.
Synthesizes relevant scholarship to clarify the state of knowledge, compare interpretations and identify well-supported questions for further study.
Uses a clearly defined question and reproducible search, selection and synthesis methods, with the evidence base and limitations reported transparently.
Reports a focused result, observation or method whose concise presentation is useful to the field and supported by appropriate evidence.
Describes a practical method, instrument, workflow or technical refinement, explaining its operation, context and performance or validation.
Develops a reasoned scholarly interpretation of an important topic, distinguishing evidence from opinion and acknowledging relevant uncertainty.
Introduces a research dataset, software or other scholarly resource, documenting its provenance, structure, access conditions and quality checks.