Category: News & Updates

Policy Studies Journal has long been known for publishing cutting-edge policy theory research. Our authors develop new and test theories and concepts or innovate on existing theoretical frameworks, generating insights into the nature of the policy process.  At the same time, much public policy scholarship is practical, offering actionable recommendations to policymakers in local, state, national, and even international policy arenas. 

Recognizing the value of more applied research, our team has introduced a rolling special issue under the PSJ banner called Policy Theory and Practice (PT&P). Similar to the PSJ Yearbook model, PT&P is curated by our editorial team and published regularly. Manuscripts submitted go through the same review process as regular PSJ submissions, and accepted articles are still published under the PSJ name. 

While the focal areas for PT&P articles can vary, we note some specific forms that advance our theoretical discussion of the policy process to the real-world applications we strive for, including:   

1. Manuscripts that engage in policy analysis and evaluation; 

2. Manuscripts that apply policy theories to previously understudied issues areas, geographic regions, etc.; and 

3. Manuscripts that examine previously identified hypotheses, seek to replicate previous findings, or report null findings.  

Each of these brings us closer to understanding how our theoretical findings can be formulated into meaningful policy action. If you are interested in having your manuscript considered as either a traditional PSJ or PT&P article, please indicate as such in our Rex submission system by selecting “Yes” in the “Policy Theory and Practice Collection” field:

We look forward to reading your submissions! 

As announced in October 2023, the Policy Studies Journal (PSJ) editorial team has expanded the range of manuscripts we consider for publication through the addition of two short-article formats, the research note and the perspectives piece.

Below we answer some frequently asked questions about how these manuscripts are processed and evaluated.

Question 1: Do short article forms go through a less stringent review process from traditional research articles?

All short articles submitted to PSJ – both research notes and perspectives pieces alike – receive the same level of peer review as traditional research articles. Submitting your manuscript as a short article does not mean you will lose the opportunity to get valuable feedback from multiple reviewers, nor does doing so give it a higher chance of acceptance. To ensure manuscript quality across the board, every submission undergoes the same peer review process. 

Question 2: If I submit my manuscript as one type, will it only be considered for publication in that form?

There’s no need to worry about designating your manuscript a certain way – PSJ editors are here to help. If our editors believe your submission might be better designated as a different manuscript type, we will reach out to you directly to discuss it. With this, there is no “right way” to designate your manuscript submission. 

Question 3: If I am asked to consider designating my manuscript as a short article, is this a request to downgrade it?

If our editors do reach out and ask you to consider submitting your traditional research article as a short article, this does not mean we believe your manuscript to be less impactful for policy process theory. Accepted short articles meet the same high standards for both theoretical depth and methodological sophistication, just using a narrower scope. 

With these new additions, our goal is to advance the theoretical literature surrounding the policy process with the understanding that novel methodological approaches, empirical replications, and theoretical arguments are central to that process. We look forward to taking this journey with you!  

by Geoboo Song (PSJ Editor-in-Chief)

We’ve recently explored over twenty years of PSJ citation data, and we’re thrilled to see its consistent growth over time! A huge thank you to all the remarkable contributors whose relentless dedication and effort have elevated PSJ to its leading status today!

Over time, there’s been a significant increase (both in terms of quantity and proportion) in the number of cited articles, suggesting a clear shift away from uncited ones. This underscores the evolving landscape of scholarly references within the policy community.

The following analysis offers another overview of the PSJ’s citation trends over time. The total citations for the journal have seen a steady increase over the years, with a particularly steep surge since 2019. This highlights the growing impact of the journal in the scholarly community. It is important to note that the self-citation rate has remained consistently low over the years, reflecting a commitment to maintaining the highest standards of scholarly integrity.

It is noteworthy that a high self-citation rate is often seen as a warning sign for journals, and if it exceeds a particular threshold, the journal risks being removed from the SSCI citation reports — an outcome that can have potentially grave consequences for the journal’s reputation and readership. This analysis underscores the impressive trajectory of PSJ in terms of both total citation counts and the maintenance of rigorous scholarly standards.

The following graph illustrates the trend of international collaboration through PSJ publications, measured by the proportion of PSJ articles authored by researchers from multiple countries each year over the past two decades. The collaboration fluctuates over time, but we are undoubtedly heading in the right direction. Of course, it is crucial to foster more international collaboration at PSJ.

Again, none of these achievements could have been realized without your invaluable support and assistance. For this, we deeply appreciate your dedication and effort!

While aspiring scholars, junior faculty, and even veteran academics have access to the latest theoretical and methodological advances through journals such as the Policy Studies Journal, the creativity, ingenuity, and art associated with breakthrough work is often less accessible. Art of Science (AoS) aims to fill this gap by interviewing scholars with recent publications in the Policy Studies Journal, exploring the research process sitting behind the article. AoS is meant to break down the mystique of research for early career researchers. By focusing on the process from idea to publication rather than on the publication itself, AoS aims to be a resource where scholars can receive honest advice and a place where failures and the problems solving associated with them are discussed as much as the successes that became the publication itself. 

Art of Science is hosted by Graham Ambrose. Episodes of AoS release quarterly, in conjunction with new issues of the Policy Studies Journal. You can watch all the author conversations on the Art of Science YouTube channel or listen to the audio on all major podcasting platforms. You can also read full transcripts of each episode on the Art of Science Substack.

Art of Science is a co-production of the Policy Studies Journal and the Center for Policy Design and Governance at Syracuse University.

Check out the latest episode of Art of Science, where Dr. Mallory SoRelle from Duke University and Dr. Delphia Shanks from Hendrix College joined Graham for a conversation about their paper “The policy acknowledgement gap: Explaining (mis)perceptions of government social program use.”

You can listen to the conversation on Apple, Spotify, Google, and wherever else you get your podcasts. A full transcript of the conversation is also available here.

You can also follow Art of Science on X/Twitter @ArtOfSciencePod.

Academic conferences are hubs for the latest and most promising research in our field. They provide the opportunity to receive invaluable feedback, to connect with other scholars, and to gain inspiration for future research endeavors. 

However, many of us attend the same conferences every year. Like clockwork, we mark our calendars for the submission deadlines and participation dates for these select few and begin planning from there. It’s true that we have limited resources and time that can be stretched across multiple conferences every year, but there is also another reason we tend to stay the course: keeping up with the full range of conferences within our field can be a daunting task.  

As an editorial team, we asked ourselves: 

• What annual conference opportunities are out there? And which of these would we as researchers be interested in presenting our own work?
• Further, as a journal focused on international policy theory development, what are promising conferences located outside the Western hemisphere?

Below we have compiled what we believe to be a comprehensive timeline of public policy and political science conferences happening between March and December 2024. We encourage policy scholars to follow the clickable links for each conference to learn more about its history and foci as well as to access its most up-to-date participation deadlines. 

After reviewing this list, we also ask you: are there international conferences we’ve missed? And what other resources could we provide to make conference information more accessible?

Policy Studies Journal, the premier outlet for scholarship developing and refining public policy theory, is seeking scholars to guest edit or co-edit a special issue on homelessness policy. Homelessness is a critical, complex societal challenge that requires creative and determined policy action. We hope to publish a collection of papers which meaningfully advance public policy theory by addressing questions such as (though not limited to): What factors shape the adoption of particular policies addressing homelessness? How do homelessness policies affect their target populations? What factors shape the stringency or laxity of these policies? How do unhoused people experience homelessness policies, and with what consequences? Can we predict the types of policy designs that will  be used in this policy domain, and why? We expect the special issue ultimately to contain at least 10 rigorous papers. Special issues typically take 18-24 months from the acceptance of a guest editor application through final publication.

An application for guest editorship should include:

1. Name and affiliations of the proposed guest editor(s) (maximum of three) and an explanation of the homelessness policy expertise and editorial experience (as applicable) that equip the proposed guest editor(s) to manage this special issue (1-2 paragraphs per proposed guest editor).
2. A description of the proposed guest editors’ vision for the special issue, not exceeding one page. This statement should discuss why the special issue will interest PSJ readers and highlight its expected novel contributions to public policy theory.
3. Details on 15 or more high-quality and theoretically meaningful papers around homelessness policy that the proposed editors expect to be submitted for peer review. For each paper, these details should include an abstract and names and affiliations of its authors.
   • Although we understand that sometimes unforeseen events arise, the guest editor(s) should do their best to ensure that these authors are firmly committed to submitting their proposed papers to the special issue. 
   • The proposed papers should: Propose theoretical frameworks or concepts; empirically test theoretical frameworks or concepts using quantitative or qualitative methods; or provide a comprehensive review of relevant policy literature, identifying key themes and synthesizing key findings. 
   • During the process of developing the special issue, guest editors can solicit additional abstracts/papers not included in the original proposal. 
4. A proposed timeline for accomplishing the guest editorship tasks described here. 

The guest editor(s) should commit to:

1. Soliciting papers around homelessness policy that are high quality and make a meaningful theoretical contribution to public policy scholarship.
2. Reviewing and providing feedback on each manuscript before it is submitted for review at PSJ, and/or coordinating a pre-submission review process wherein authors offer comments on each others’ work.
3. Writing an introductory piece that frames and highlights the interconnections among papers ultimately included in the special issue and proposes an agenda for future policy scholarship on homelessness.

The PSJ editorial team will:

1. Work closely with the guest editor(s) to ensure a smooth editorial process.
2. Ensure the editorial process follows PSJ submission protocols, including double-blind review and resubmission within six months of a “revise and resubmit” decisions.
3. Make final decisions about accepting or rejecting manuscripts. The PSJ team may confer with guest editor(s) about these decisions or may make them independently.
4. Reserve the right to reject special issue paper submissions that do not meet journal standards and to cancel the special issue, if an insufficient number of high-quality submissions is received within a reasonable timeframe.
   • If the special issue is canceled, papers submitted pursuant to the special issue call, and which received an acceptance upon peer review, will be slated for inclusion in a regular PSJ issue. 

Applications for guest editorship should be submitted as a Word document to policystudiesjournal@gmail.com by January 29, 2024. Questions about the special issue or its editorship should be directed to the same address. The PSJ editorial team expects to make a decision concerning applications in late January or early February 2024.