Canadian Journal of Political Science

Canadian Journal of Political Science
Title	Canadian Journal of Political Science
Discipline	Political science
Language	English and French
Abbreviation	CJPS
Publisher	Cambridge University Press on behalf of the Canadian Political Science Association
Country	Canada
Frequency	Quarterly
History	1968–present

Canadian Journal of Political Science is a peer-reviewed academic journal publishing research on political phenomena with a special emphasis on Canadian and comparative scholarship. Founded in the late 1960s, the journal has served as a venue for work on parliamentary studies, federalism, public policy, and international relations that connects to Canadian political life. Contributors have included scholars affiliated with leading universities and institutes across North America and Europe.

History

The journal was established amid debates shaped by figures and events such as John Diefenbaker, Pierre Trudeau, Quiet Revolution, October Crisis, Royal Commission on Bilingualism and Biculturalism and the expanding role of social science faculties at institutions like University of Toronto, McGill University, University of British Columbia, Queen's University, Université de Montréal. Early editorial leadership drew on scholars associated with Canadian Political Science Association, Royal Society of Canada, Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council, and networks linked to conferences such as the Meeting of the Canadian Political Science Association. Over decades the journal reflected shifts caused by comparative turns involving research on United States, United Kingdom, France, Germany, Australia and developing debates following events like 1970s oil crisis, end of the Cold War, North American Free Trade Agreement, and constitutional episodes such as the Meech Lake Accord and Charlottetown Accord.

Scope and editorial focus

The journal publishes articles on topics ranging from electoral systems and party politics to federal-provincial relations, public administration, judicial politics, and international affairs. Contributions engage analytical traditions associated with scholars influenced by work on Westminster model, consociationalism studies connected to Arend Lijphart, comparative institutionalism in the lineage of Stein Rokkan, and rational choice approaches linked to Anthony Downs and Kenneth Arrow. The journal also includes pieces that interact with research communities studying phenomena in regions such as Latin America, Africa, Asia, and Europe Union contexts exemplified by scholarship on European Commission, Bundestag, French Fifth Republic and regional organizations like North Atlantic Treaty Organization and Organization of American States. Methodological diversity spans qualitative case studies referencing events like the October Crisis and FLQ Crisis and quantitative analyses in the tradition of work from departments at Harvard University, Princeton University, University of Chicago, and Yale University.

Publication and indexing

Published quarterly by Cambridge University Press for the Canadian Political Science Association, the journal appears in major indexing services and databases including listings similar to those used by scholars consulting Web of Science, Scopus, JSTOR, Project MUSE, and national library catalogues such as Library and Archives Canada. Back issues intersect with bibliographic initiatives managed by organizations like the Modern Language Association and repositories maintained by university libraries at University of Toronto Libraries, McGill Library, and Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec. Special issues have been coordinated around anniversaries of constitutional events including Patriation of the Constitution, the enactment of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, and studies prompted by international moments such as the 9/11 attacks and the Global Financial Crisis.

Editorial board and peer review

Editorial governance typically involves an editor-in-chief supported by associate editors, an international editorial board, and an advisory council bringing together scholars from institutions including University of Ottawa, Carleton University, Dalhousie University, Simon Fraser University, University of Alberta, University of Calgary, McMaster University, Concordia University, University of Victoria, Université Laval, Université de Sherbrooke. Peer review follows double-blind procedures comparable to those practiced in journals like American Political Science Review, British Journal of Political Science, and Journal of Politics. Editorial policies reflect standards promoted by professional bodies such as the Committee on Publication Ethics and draw on best practices advocated at meetings like the American Political Science Association annual conference and the Canadian Social Science Research Council workshops.

Notable articles and impact

Over its run the journal has published influential articles that have been cited in studies on electoral behavior, federalism, and judicial review, contributing to literatures connected to scholars like Peter H. Russell, Richard Simeon, Jane Jenson, Michael Ignatieff, Adam Przeworski and comparative works cited alongside research in Comparative Politics journals. Articles from the journal have been used in policy debates by actors including Parliament of Canada, provincial legislatures such as the Legislative Assembly of Ontario, and administrative reviews engaging institutions like the Supreme Court of Canada and Privy Council Office. Special symposia have reprinted or responded to pieces concerning topics linked to the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, indigenous politics with references to cases like R v Sparrow and Delgamuukw v British Columbia, and analyses of party systems following elections analyzed in contexts of the Liberal Party of Canada, Conservative Party of Canada, New Democratic Party, and regional parties such as the Bloc Québécois.

Access and distribution

The journal is available in print subscriptions distributed through university presses and professional associations as well as electronic access via platforms used by libraries and consortia including systems managed by JSTOR and Portico preservation services. Institutional subscriptions are held by research libraries at universities such as University of Toronto, Harvard University, Oxford University, University of Cambridge, McGill University and national libraries including Library and Archives Canada and the British Library. Authors and readers interact with repositories like SSRN and institutional digital archives at departments across campuses like Trent University and Brock University, and the journal participates in indexing for citation tracking in services such as Google Scholar and CrossRef.

Category:Political science journals Category:Canadian academic journals