TYPES OF ARTICLES
Italian Political Science is an open-access journal publishing research on contemporary Italian politics from a Political science perspective. Please, visit the About the Journal page for information about its focus.
The articles published in IPS can be of two types:
Articles subjected to double-blind external peer review with a minimum of two reviewers:
1. “Research articles” present studies that explore current trends and progress in Italian politics as a single case study or in comparative perspective. These articles provide in-depth analysis and offer valuable insights into the field. They are expected to contribute to the scientific debate by providing empirical evidence and original theoretical contributions in the field of Italian and comparative political science.
Length: 8,000/10,000 words including abstracts, tables & figures, and references.
2. “Review articles” are scholarly publications that offer comprehensive evaluations and critical analyses of various aspects within the realm of Italian politics. These articles provide an in-depth examination of political events, policies, institutions, and societal dynamics in Italy, shedding light on key developments and offering valuable insights. They serve as authoritative resources for researchers, policymakers, and scholars seeking to gain a nuanced understanding of the political landscape in Italy. One of the aims of these articles is to provide non-native readers with a comprehensive review of the literature, including sources in Italian that are typically challenging to access. These articles aim to bridge the language barrier by incorporating and analyzing relevant Italian sources, thereby facilitating access to valuable research for international readers.
Length: 6,000/8,000 words including abstracts, tables & figures, and references.
3. “Dataset Presentation” articles provide a detailed description and documentation of new datasets related to Italian politics. These articles aim to present the methodology, sources and variables included in the datasets, offering researchers a valuable resource for empirical analysis and comparative studies in the field of Italian politics. By providing comprehensive documentation, these articles contribute to transparency, replicability and rigorous research practices in the study of Italian political phenomena.
Length: 6,000/8,000 words including abstracts, tables & figures, and references.
Articles subject to internal peer review by the editorial committee:
4. “The Profession” articles are scholarly publications that focus on various aspects of the political science discipline and the professional landscape of political scientists in Italy and beyond. These articles delve into discussions about the state of the field, its evolution, and future directions. They explore topics such as teaching and learning, research practices, assessment methods, and the dynamic relationship between academia and society, providing valuable insights and analysis for political science professionals.
Length: 4,000/6,000 words including abstracts, tables & figures, and references
5. "PhD Thesis Summary & Review" articles are collaboratively written by the PhD candidate and their supervisor after the successful defense of the thesis. These articles deliver concise and critical evaluations of doctoral dissertations by offering a comprehensive summary of the thesis, emphasizing its key contributions and research findings. Serving as valuable resources for researchers, they provide a condensed overview and assessment of noteworthy doctoral research in the field of political science in Italy.
Length: 4,000/6,000 words including abstracts, tables & figures, and references
6. "Research Project Overview / Main Results" articles provide a comprehensive summary or overview of the principal outcomes of research projects, including PRIN (Progetti di Ricerca di Interesse Nazionale) Grants or European Grants with an Italian Principal Investigator (PI) in the field of Political Science. These articles succinctly outline the project's objectives, methodology, and significant findings, effectively demonstrating the impact and advancements achieved within the designated scientific domain. Moreover, they can be proposed prospectively at the project's outset to delineate the project's scope, research questions, and methodology, or retrospectively upon its completion to present a synthesis of the main research results to the scientific community.
Length: 4,000/6,000 words including abstracts, tables & figures, and references
All contributions are accepted on the understanding that they are the original work of the author(s).
SPECIAL ISSUE PROPOSAL
IPS publishes special issues on an annual basis. Scholars are encouraged to submit proposals for special issues at any time, which should include an open call for articles focusing on specific topics within the field of Italian politics. The IPS Editorial Board will conduct a thorough evaluation of the received proposals within one month, ensuring a rigorous selection process.
A Special Issue proposal should contain the following information
- An abstract explaining the topic and its relevance to the journal
- A short bio of the Guest Editor(s)
- A call-for-papers
- A list of potential reviewers
- A time schedule including submission deadline and completion of the editorial process.
Please use the Special Issues Template available here
IPS STYLE GUIDE
All authors are warmly invited to download and follow the recommendations outlined in IPS Authors' Style Guide. The journal has defined these guidelines with the hope to guarantee all authors as much liberty and user-friendliness as possible. Following these simple rules will increase consistency across all contributions and help establish IPS' look and feel as a competitive, inclusive open-access journal.
