Journal of Humanitarian Affairs

Article types

Research article (6,000-8,000 words, including abstract and bibliography)
Original research articles are encouraged on any aspect of humanitarianism, encompassing both theoretical and/or practice-based issues. Articles should advance knowledge about the field of humanitarianism, and we welcome articles on the broader implications of the topic as well as those focused more narrowly on specific case studies, practices or concepts. The humanitarian sector is rapidly changing and faces a range of ethical, political and practical challenges, and we seek to publish original research contributions which critically engage with how these challenges are being negotiated in theory and in practice. Contributions will draw from a range of disciplinary perspectives, including, but not limited to, anthropology, cultural studies, economics, law, history, organisational studies, philosophy, politics, public health and sociology. We particularly encourage interdisciplinary papers and those that use innovative approaches to interrogate the field and identify new areas of inquiry. Topics include, but are not restricted to, humanitarian financing, migrations and responses, the history of humanitarian aid, failed humanitarian interventions, media representations of humanitarianism, the changing landscape of humanitarianism, the response of states to foreign interventions, critical debates on concepts such as resilience, sustainability, security, etc. Manuscripts should be original contributions and should not have been published elsewhere or be under consideration for any other publication at the same time. We aim to appeal to a broad audience, so articles should be written in accessible English and any specialist terms should be clearly explained. Research articles will initially be assessed for suitability by one or more editors. Suitable submissions will then be double blind peer reviewed by independent, anonymous expert referees.

Op-ed (max. 1,000 words, plus abstract and bibliography)
Authors should concisely put forward an opinion, supported by argument and evidence that engages with existing debates or opens up new debates. Op-eds can focus on practical or theoretical questions, but preference will be given to those that speak to both practitioners and academics. Op-eds are typically reviewed by two editors or one editor and one independent expert.

Field report (max. 3,500 words, plus abstract and bibliography)
Field reports should offer critical analysis of a particular humanitarian programme or response. As such, they usually focus on a single case study, although we are also happy to consider critical analysis of a particular policy approach, drawing on the experience of implementing that approach in more than one setting. Either way, field reports should focus on practical experience. These can be written as descriptive reports, analytical essays, or chronicles/diaries, and they should give particular attention to tensions and contradictions, innovative practices, challenges and struggles, and stories of success and failure. Field reports are typically reviewed by two editors or one editor and one independent expert.

Review article (max. 4,000 words, plus abstract and bibliography)
A review article should contain the state of the art pertinent to a particular topic, present clearly to readers the challenges and debates around that topic, and give indications on where to find the best sources. We expect this section of the journal to open doors and facilitate further critical engagement. Authors who wish to concentrate on a major new publication are invited to present it in relation to the wider literature. Authors who wish to concentrate on a debate and its wider literature are invited to present their argument through a clear and concise exposé of the state of the art. Submissions should normally be no longer than 4,000 words, but longer texts may be acceptable subject to discussion with the editor. Submissions will be reviewed by the editorial committee of the journal and are subject to approval. Review articles are typically reviewed by two editors or one editor and one independent expert.

Submission requirements

Manuscript Format

The editors encourage the submission of inter-disciplinary papers that challenge and advance the growing area of Humanitarian Affairs. Details of the types of articles, including extent, themes and approach, are below. Articles must be prepared according to the journal’s style guidelines.

Editorial and Peer Review Process

Submissions to the Journal of Humanitarian Affairs will undergo a blind peer review process by two reviewers. We rely on experts for candid but fair advice in our review process. We operate a ‘double-blind’ refereeing process whereby author(s) and reviewers never know each other’s identities.

Copyright

Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial-No Derivatives License (CC BY-NC-ND), which allows others to share the work with an acknowledgement of the work’s authorship and initial publication in this journal. The work may not be remixed, transformed or built upon and any reuse or sharing must be non-commercial.