British Journal of Political Science

British Journal of Political Science
Title	British Journal of Political Science
Discipline	Political science
Abbreviation	Br. J. Political Sci.
Publisher	Cambridge University Press
Country	United Kingdom
History	1971–present
Frequency	Quarterly
Issn	0007-1234

British Journal of Political Science is a peer-reviewed academic journal publishing research in comparative politics, international relations, political theory and public policy. The journal disseminates scholarship through articles, review essays and book reviews that engage debates exemplified by figures such as John Rawls, Hannah Arendt, Robert Dahl, Samuel Huntington and Alexis de Tocqueville. It is published by Cambridge University Press and is widely read among scholars at institutions including London School of Economics, University of Oxford, University of Cambridge, Harvard University and Princeton University.

History

The journal was established in 1971 during a period of growth for academic publishing marked by expansion of outlets such as American Political Science Review, World Politics, Comparative Political Studies, Journal of Politics and European Journal of Political Research. Founding editors and contributors included scholars affiliated with University of Essex, University of Manchester, King's College London and University of York, and the journal quickly became associated with debates around theorists like Max Weber, Karl Marx, Emile Durkheim, Niccolò Machiavelli and John Locke. Over subsequent decades it navigated intellectual currents shaped by events such as the Cold War, European integration, Fall of the Berlin Wall and the expansion of the European Union, while publishing work by authors linked to schools represented at Yale University, Columbia University, Stanford University, University of Chicago and Princeton University.

Scope and Editorial Policy

The journal's remit covers empirical and normative work spanning topics associated with scholars like Gabriel Almond, Seymour Martin Lipset, Theda Skocpol, Robert Putnam and Elinor Ostrom. Editorial policy emphasizes rigorous methodology found in traditions advanced at University of California, Berkeley, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, University of Michigan, University of Toronto and Australian National University, and prioritizes ethical standards endorsed by organizations such as the British Academy, Academy of Social Sciences, Royal Society and United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. It accepts submissions that engage theoretical frameworks used by authors from Columbia University, Brown University, Duke University, Northwestern University and Cornell University and encourages data transparency practices common at Inter-university Consortium for Political and Social Research, European Social Survey, Roper Center and UK Data Service.

Abstracting and Indexing

The journal is indexed in major services alongside titles like Scopus, Web of Science, JSTOR, ProQuest and EBSCOhost. It appears in citation databases used by researchers at National Institutes of Health, Wellcome Trust, European Research Council, Economic and Social Research Council and Leverhulme Trust, and is discoverable via library catalogs at British Library, Library of Congress, Bodleian Library, Cambridge University Library and Trinity College Library, Dublin. Metrics for the journal are tracked through systems maintained by Clarivate Analytics, Elsevier, Google Scholar, CrossRef and ORCID.

Impact and Reception

The journal's impact has been evaluated in context with peer publications such as American Journal of Political Science, International Organization, Perspectives on Politics, Political Studies and Political Analysis. Citation classics published in the journal have influenced research at Columbia University, Harvard Kennedy School, London School of Economics, University of Oxford and University of Cambridge, and have been discussed at conferences organized by American Political Science Association, European Consortium for Political Research, International Political Science Association, Royal Economic Society and British Sociological Association. Reviews in outlets like Times Higher Education, The Guardian, Financial Times, New Statesman and The Economist have noted the journal's role in shaping debates on topics of public concern linked to events such as Brexit, Iraq War, Global Financial Crisis, Arab Spring and COVID-19 pandemic.

Notable Articles and Special Issues

The journal has published influential articles and special issues addressing themes associated with scholars and topics such as Anthony Downs, Harold Lasswell, Charles Tilly, Immanuel Wallerstein and Michel Foucault. Special issues have engaged subjects tied to institutions and events like European Union, NATO, United Nations, World Trade Organization and International Criminal Court, and have included empirical contributions drawing on data from European Social Survey, World Values Survey, International Monetary Fund and World Bank. Landmark articles appearing in the journal have been cited by authors at Yale University, Princeton University, Stanford University, University of Chicago and Johns Hopkins University.

Editorial Board and Publication Process

The editorial board comprises scholars affiliated with universities and centers such as London School of Economics, University College London, University of Oxford, University of Cambridge and Sciences Po. The peer review process follows standards practiced by publishers including Oxford University Press, Routledge, SAGE Publications, Taylor & Francis and Wiley-Blackwell, employing double-blind review and editorial oversight similar to procedures at American Political Science Review, Journal of Conflict Resolution, British Journal of Sociology, Public Administration and European Political Science Review. Submission, revision and acceptance stages are managed through platforms used by journals like Scholastica, Editorial Manager, ScholarOne, Manuscript Central and eJournalPress.

Category:Political science journals