Aims and scope

Our mission statement

Humanities & Social Sciences Communications is a fully open-access, online journal publishing peer-reviewed research from across—and between—all areas of the humanities, behavioral and social sciences.

We publish Articles, Reviews and Comments, as well as guest-edited thematic Article Collections (‘special issues’). The journal is supported by an international Editorial Board.

Our scope is inclusive and is open to theoretical, methodological, quantitative and qualitative scholarship that makes a contribution to the literature. We particularly welcome research that speaks to emerging areas of thinking, agenda-setting issues, or grand societal challenge—irrespective of the field of study.

We encourage the submission of interdisciplinary perspectives where there is a clear relevance to the advancement of the humanities, or behavioural or social sciences. This includes research arising in, or informed by, the physical, life, clinical and environmental sciences, for instance: medical humanities, digital humanities, environmental sociology, and complex network studies. 

Scholarship that reflects on, or seeks to inform, policymaking of all types, is also welcomed.

Disciplinary coverage

Disciplines covered in the journal include:

  • Archaeology*
  • Anthropology
  • Business
  • Communication
  • Complex Networks
  • Criminology & Penology
  • Cultural Studies
  • Demography
  • Development Studies
  • Digital Humanities
  • Economics
  • Education
  • Environmental Studies**
  • Ethics
  • Film Studies
  • Finance
  • Gender Studies
  • Geography***
  • Health and Medical Humanities
  • Health Policy & Services†
  • History
  • History of Art & Architecture
  • Hospitality, Leisure, Sport & Tourism
  • Information Science & Library Science‡
  • International Relations
  • International Political Economy
  • Language & Linguistics
  • Law
  • Literature
  • Management
  • Media Studies
  • Operational Research
  • Philosophy
  • Political Science
  • Psychology
  • Urban Studies
  • Religion
  • Risk Management
  • Science/Technology & Society
  • Sociology
  • Social Policy
  • Theatre & Performance

Notes: *cultural, social and linguistic but not biological; **in the context of areas such as education, law, policy, sociology and economics; ***human and integrative only; †including systems, management, financial analysis and provision, as well as healthcare ethics and policy; ‡including bibliometric studies. 

Service to authors

We are committed to providing an efficient service for submitting authors. An efficient peer-review system, together with the support of an eminent Editorial Board, allows us to make rapid and fair publication decisions. Prompt dissemination of accepted papers to our wide readership and beyond is achieved through a process of continuous online publication. Published manuscripts are enhanced by innovative web technologies, including an enhanced article template and article-level metrics.