POLITICAL STUDIES

Scope & Guideline

Illuminating Contemporary Political Issues

Introduction

Immerse yourself in the scholarly insights of POLITICAL STUDIES with our comprehensive guidelines detailing its aims and scope. This page is your resource for understanding the journal's thematic priorities. Stay abreast of trending topics currently drawing significant attention and explore declining topics for a full picture of evolving interests. Our selection of highly cited topics and recent high-impact papers is curated within these guidelines to enhance your research impact.
LanguageEnglish
ISSN0032-3217
PublisherSAGE PUBLICATIONS LTD
Support Open AccessNo
CountryUnited Kingdom
TypeJournal
Convergefrom 1953 to 2024
AbbreviationPOLIT STUD-LONDON / Polit. Stud.
Frequency5 issues/year
Time To First Decision-
Time To Acceptance-
Acceptance Rate-
Home Page-
Address1 OLIVERS YARD, 55 CITY ROAD, LONDON EC1Y 1SP, ENGLAND

Aims and Scopes

The journal 'Political Studies' aims to advance the understanding of political phenomena through rigorous research and analysis. It provides a platform for scholarly discussions that encompass a variety of political theories, methodologies, and empirical studies.
  1. Political Behavior and Participation:
    Research on electoral behavior, voter turnout, and the impact of political trust on civic engagement. This includes studies on how demographic factors influence political participation and the role of political communication in shaping public opinion.
  2. Populism and Political Identity:
    A focus on the dynamics of populism, including its causes, consequences, and relationship with political identity. This area explores how populist movements influence electoral outcomes and public attitudes towards governance.
  3. Institutional Analysis and Governance:
    Investigations into the structures and functions of political institutions, including the role of bureaucracies, electoral systems, and party organizations in shaping policy outcomes and political accountability.
  4. Social Justice and Inequality:
    Exploration of issues related to social justice, economic inequality, and their political implications. This includes analyses of how class, race, and gender intersect with political structures and public policy.
  5. International Relations and Comparative Politics:
    Research that examines global political dynamics, including international cooperation, conflict, and the comparative analysis of different political systems and their effectiveness in addressing societal challenges.
Recent publications in 'Political Studies' highlight several emerging themes that reflect shifting political landscapes and new academic interests. These trends suggest an evolving focus on contemporary issues that resonate with current global challenges.
  1. Digital Politics and Social Media:
    Increasing attention on the role of digital platforms in political mobilization, discourse, and electoral outcomes. Research explores how social media influences public opinion, political engagement, and the spread of misinformation.
  2. Climate Change and Environmental Politics:
    A growing body of work examines the intersection of environmental issues with political action, governance, and public policy. This trend reflects the increasing urgency of climate challenges and their implications for political systems.
  3. Identity Politics and Intersectionality:
    Emerging research explores how various identities—such as race, gender, and sexuality—interact and influence political behavior and attitudes. This area emphasizes the complexity of identity in shaping political discourse and participation.
  4. Populism in Diverse Contexts:
    Continued exploration of populism, but with a nuanced understanding of its manifestations across different cultures and political systems. This includes studies on how populism affects democratic norms and citizen engagement.
  5. Participatory Governance and Democracy:
    An increasing focus on participatory mechanisms in governance, such as deliberative democracy and citizen engagement in policy-making. This trend highlights the importance of inclusivity and representation in contemporary political discourse.

Declining or Waning

While 'Political Studies' continues to evolve, certain themes have shown signs of waning prominence in recent publications. These areas may still hold relevance but are receiving less attention in the current research landscape.
  1. Classical Political Theory:
    Studies grounded in classical political theory have become less frequent as contemporary issues and empirical research take precedence. This shift reflects a broader trend towards applied political analysis rather than theoretical explorations.
  2. Traditional Media Influence:
    Research focusing on traditional media's role in political communication appears to be declining, with growing emphasis on digital media and social platforms. The changing landscape of information dissemination is shifting scholarly focus away from established media forms.
  3. Static Electoral Systems:
    Analyses of static electoral systems without consideration of emerging dynamics or reforms are less common. There's a trend towards examining how electoral systems adapt in response to contemporary challenges, reducing interest in fixed models.

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