Why Publish with Journal of Sustainable Development and Policy?

In today’s rapidly evolving global context—characterized by climate uncertainty, rising inequality, political fragmentation, and urgent calls for sustainability—there is an increasing demand for scholarly platforms that not only inform but also influence real-world decision-making. The Journal of Sustainable Development and Policy (JSDP) serves this purpose by bridging the gap between academic research, public policy, and grassroots development initiatives.

We invite authors from all disciplines, sectors, and geographies to publish with JSDP and become part of an inclusive, impactful, and globally oriented community of changemakers. Below are the core reasons why JSDP is the ideal journal for advancing your work and amplifying your voice.

 

1. Interdisciplinary and Globally Relevant Scope

Unlike journals that are narrowly focused on single disciplines or policy domains, JSDP encourages interdisciplinary thinking and systems approaches to sustainability challenges. We accept submissions from fields such as:

  • Environmental policy and climate science
  • Development studies and international relations
  • Economics, law, sociology, and public health
  • Urban planning, agriculture, and indigenous studies
  • Innovation, governance, and humanitarian affairs

This broad scope attracts a diverse readership, including scholars, policy practitioners, civil society leaders, and international organizations. Authors can expect their work to resonate across sectors and influence real-world actions and policy frameworks.

 

2. Rigorous and Ethical Peer Review

JSDP employs a double-blind peer review process that upholds the highest standards of academic integrity. Every submission is evaluated based on:

  • Originality and innovation
  • Methodological soundness
  • Theoretical and empirical contribution
  • Policy relevance and applicability
  • Clarity of presentation and argumentation

Our editorial and review teams consist of subject-matter experts with demonstrated commitment to ethical scholarship and global equity. We also provide constructive feedback, especially to early-career researchers, to improve the quality and impact of their work.

 

3. Open Access for Global Visibility

All articles published in JSDP are immediately and permanently open access under the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY 4.0) license. This means:

  • Anyone, anywhere can read, share, and cite your work without restriction
  • Your research becomes accessible to scholars in both high- and low-income countries
  • Policymakers, NGOs, educators, and media outlets can integrate your insights into real-time decision-making

Open access significantly increases article visibility, download rates, and citation impact, allowing your findings to reach audiences that traditional paywalled journals cannot access.

 

4. Author Rights and Publishing Freedom

At JSDP, authors retain full copyright over their published work. Unlike many commercial publishers, we:

  • Do not require copyright transfer
  • Allow authors to post preprints and accepted manuscripts on institutional repositories
  • Support translation, adaptation, and republication (with attribution)
  • Encourage re-use of figures and data for teaching, advocacy, and research synthesis

This ensures that authors retain control over their intellectual contributions while still benefiting from wide dissemination and indexing.

 

5. Indexing, DOI Assignment, and Long-Term Archiving

To maximize discoverability and citation potential, all articles are:

  • Assigned a DOI (Digital Object Identifier) via CrossRef
  • Indexed in Google Scholar, PKP Index, BASE, OpenAIRE, WorldCat, and more
  • Archived in secure platforms such as LOCKSS, CLOCKSS, and the Internet Archive

In addition, the journal is pursuing Scopus, DOAJ, and Web of Science indexing to provide authors with globally recognized citation metrics and academic credit.

 

6. Timely Review and Publication

JSDP understands the importance of timely publication for both academic progression and policy relevance. We offer:

  • Rapid initial screening (within 7 days)
  • Peer review decisions within 3–4 weeks on average
  • Online-first publication upon acceptance and proofing
  • Optional express processing for time-sensitive content (7-day publication option)

Our efficient workflow is designed to balance quality assurance with the need for speed in a fast-moving world.

 

7. Affordable Article Processing Fees with Waiver Support

We believe that the ability to pay should not determine the right to publish. JSDP charges a modest Article Processing Fee (APF) only after acceptance:

Processing Type

Timeline

Fee (USD)

Standard Processing

Within 30 days

$200

Express Processing

Within 7 days

$300

We also offer full or partial waivers for:

  • Authors from low- and lower-middle income countries
  • Graduate students and early-career researchers
  • Unfunded grassroots and community-based initiatives

This approach ensures financial accessibility while supporting the journal’s operational sustainability.

 

8. Impact Beyond Academia

What sets JSDP apart is its strong orientation toward policy relevance and societal impact. Articles published in the journal are frequently:

  • Shared with government agencies, multilateral organizations, and NGOs
  • Cited in policy briefs, working papers, and strategy documents
  • Used in university and training curricula around the world
  • Promoted through digital channels, webinars, and thematic campaigns

Our communications team works to amplify your work through targeted dissemination strategies, including email newsletters, social media promotion, and partnerships with think tanks and development organizations.

 

9. International Community and Networking Opportunities

By publishing with JSDP, you join a vibrant and globally engaged scholarly community. Our authors, reviewers, and editors come from over 40 countries and represent a wide range of academic disciplines and policy sectors.

We offer contributors:

  • Opportunities to serve as reviewers or guest editors
  • Invitations to participate in webinars, panel discussions, and special issues
  • Exposure through interviews, author spotlights, and regional showcases

This enables our contributors to not only publish research but also build professional networks, gain visibility, and explore collaborations across borders.

 

10. Support for Early-Career and Underrepresented Authors

We are deeply committed to equity, inclusion, and capacity building in scholarly publishing. JSDP provides:

  • Editorial mentorship for early-career scholars
  • Resources on ethical publishing, open science, and academic writing
  • Waivers, language editing support, and peer feedback for first-time authors
  • Prioritization of Global South and community-based perspectives in thematic calls

Our goal is to level the playing field in knowledge production and empower new voices in the sustainability and policy discourse.