Review articles in political science journals
Review articles remain an important part of academic publishing, offering overviews of the current state of knowledge, synthesising research trends, or critically engaging with key debates. Political science journals feature a variety of article types that fall under this broad category, including state-of-the-field reviews, literature surveys, and review essays. These formats provide scholars with an opportunity to summarise key developments, highlight gaps in the literature, and propose directions for future research.
The table below identifies journals in political science that explicitly categorise and publish review articles, demonstrating the diversity of formats available for this essential academic contribution.It is sourced from my political science journals app, which you may also find useful for exploring additional article types and journal options.
| Journal | h5-index | Format Name | Length Limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Review of International Political Economy | 58 | Review | 6000 – 8000 words |
| Environmental Politics | 56 | Book Review | 600 – 1000 words |
| Environmental Politics | 56 | Review Article | 8000 words |
| West European Politics | 55 | Review | NA |
| Foreign Affairs | 53 | Capsule Review | NA |
| Foreign Affairs | 53 | Reading List | NA |
| Journal of Peace Research | 52 | State-of-the-Art Review Essay | 5000 words |
| European Journal of Political Research | 52 | State-of-the-field Review | 8000 words |
| International Affairs | 49 | Book Review (Single) | 700 – 900 words |
| International Affairs | 49 | Book Review (Multiple) | 900 – 1000 words |
| Political Geography | 49 | Review Essay | 2000 – 4000 words |
| Democratization | 48 | Book Review | 700 – 900 words |
| Perspectives on Politics | 47 | Book Review | NA |
| Perspectives on Politics | 47 | Review | 4000 words |
| International Journal of Press/Politics | 46 | Book Review | 600 – 1000 words |
| Regulation and Governance | 42 | Book Review | NA |
| Global Policy | 41 | Review Essay (Single) | 500 words |
| Global Policy | 41 | Review Essay (Multiple) | 1500 words |
| Terrorism and Political Violence | 41 | Book Review | NA |
| Journal of European Integration | 40 | Review | 3000 words |
| International Studies Review | 39 | Book Review | 1000 words |
| International Studies Review | 39 | Review | 10000 words |
| Social Movement Studies | 38 | Book Review | 800 words |
| Social Movement Studies | 38 | Review Essay | 2300 words |
| Geopolitics | 38 | Book Review | NA |
| Politics and Governance | 37 | Book Review | 3000 words |
| Politics and Governance | 37 | Review | 9000 words |
| Journal of European Social Policy | 36 | Thematic Review | 6000 words |
| Urban Affairs Review | 36 | Book Review Essay | 6000 words |
| Governance | 36 | Book Review | 800 – 1000 words |
| Discourse | 36 | Review | NA |
| Public Opinion Quarterly | 34 | Book Review | 1200 words |
| Journal of Contingencies and Crisis Management | 34 | Book Review | 800 – 1200 words |
| Government and Opposition | 34 | Review | 10000 words |
| Public Choice | 33 | Literature Survey | NA |
| World Politics | 32 | Review | 12500 words |
| Journal of Strategic Studies | 32 | Reviews Essay | 3000 – 10000 words |
| Security Dialogue | 31 | Book Review | 1000 words |
| European Political Science Review | 31 | State-of-the-field Review | 8000 words |
| Political Studies Review | 30 | Book Review (Single) | 800 words |
| Political Studies Review | 30 | Book Review (Multiple) | 1000 words |
| Political Studies Review | 30 | Review | 5000 words |
| African Affairs | 30 | Book Review (Single) | 900 words |
| African Affairs | 30 | Book Review (Multiple) | 1200 words |
| Cambridge Review of International Affairs | 30 | Book Review (Single) | 800 words |
| Cambridge Review of International Affairs | 30 | Book Review (Multiple) | 1500 words |
| Critical Social Policy | 28 | Book Review | NA |
| Journal of Political Ecology | 28 | Book Review | NA |
| Nations and Nationalism | 28 | Book Review | 800 words |
| Nations and Nationalism | 28 | Review | 2000 – 3000 words |
| Europe-Asia Studies | 28 | Book Review | NA |
| Frontiers in Political Science | 27 | Mini Review | 3000 words |
| Frontiers in Political Science | 27 | Review | 12000 words |
| Frontiers in Political Science | 27 | Systematic Review | 12000 words |
| Frontiers in Political Science | 27 | Book Review | 1000 words |
| Frontiers in Political Science | 27 | Policy and Practice Review | 12000 words |
| Security Studies | 27 | Review | 13000 words |
| Cooperation and Conflict | 26 | Review Essay | 4000 – 5000 words |
| European Political Science | 26 | Book Review | NA |
| Canadian Journal of Political Science | 25 | Book Review (Single) | 800 words |
| Canadian Journal of Political Science | 25 | Review Essay | 10000 words |
| Canadian Journal of Political Science | 25 | Book Review (Multiple) | 2000 words |
| Mediterranean Politics | 25 | Book Review (Single) | 750 words |
| Mediterranean Politics | 25 | Book Review (Multiple) | 1500 words |
| Representation | 25 | Book Review | 4000 – 5000 words |
| Publius: The Journal of Federalism | 24 | Book Review | 1000 – 1500 words |
| European Journal of Social Theory | 24 | Book Review | NA |
| Journal of Health Politics, Policy and Law | 24 | Books | NA |
| Journal of Public Policy | 24 | Review | NA |
| European Security | 24 | Book Review | NA |
| European Journal of Political Theory | 23 | Review | 4000 words |
| Swiss Political Science Review | 23 | Book Review | 1500 words |
| Ethical Theory and Moral Practice | 23 | Book Review | 800 – 1100 words |
| Ethical Theory and Moral Practice | 23 | Review Essay | 3000 words |
| Journal of Current Southeast Asian Affairs | 22 | Book Review | NA |
| Journal of Current Southeast Asian Affairs | 22 | Review | 7000 – 10000 words |
| New Left Review | 22 | Book Review | 2000 – 3000 words |
| Latin American Politics and Society | 22 | Book Review (Single) | 6 pages |
| Latin American Politics and Society | 22 | Book Review (Multiple) | 25 pages |
| Polis. Political Studies | 22 | Review | 16000 – 24000 characters |
| Australian Journal of International Affairs | 22 | Review | 1000 – 3000 words |
| Journal of Genocide Research | 22 | Review | 9000 – 12000 words |
| Journal of Genocide Research | 22 | Book Forum | NA |
| Intelligence and National Security | 22 | Book Review | 3000 words |
| Ethnopolitics | 22 | Review | 4000 words |
| Comparative Politics | 21 | Review Article | NA |
| Review of Radical Political Economics | 21 | Book Review | 1500 – 2000 words |
| International Journal of Public Leadership | 21 | Literature Review | 2500 – 6000 words |
| International Journal of Public Leadership | 21 | General Review | 2500 – 6000 words |
| Chinese Political Science Review | 21 | Book Review | NA |
| Monthly Review | 20 | Book Review | 1500 – 3000 words |
| Review of African Political Economy | 20 | Review | 800 – 2000 words |
| International Journal of Transitional Justice | 19 | Review Essay | 3500 – 5000 words |
| Journal of Language and Politics | 19 | Book Review | 1000 – 1200 words |
| European Journal of Politics and Gender | 19 | State of the Art | 9000 words |
| Journal of International Affairs | 19 | Peer-Reviewed Essays | 4000 – 6000 words |
| Politische Vierteljahresschrift | 19 | Literature Review | 10000 words |
| Insight Turkey | 19 | Book Review | 1500 words |
| Insight Turkey | 19 | Review | 2000 – 3000 words |
| International Journal of Politics, Culture, and Society | 19 | Review | NA |
| International Journal of Politics, Culture, and Society | 19 | Book Review | NA |
| International Relations of the Asia-Pacific | 18 | Review Essay | 3000 – 4000 words |
| International Relations of the Asia-Pacific | 18 | Book Review | 600 – 1000 words |
| Ethics and International Affairs | 18 | Online Book Symposia | 1000 – 1500 words |
| Journal of Race, Ethnicity, and Politics | 18 | Book Review | 500 – 1200 words |
| Review of Faith and International Affairs | 18 | Review | NA |
| Patterns of Prejudice | 18 | Book Review | 1200 words |
| Journal of Current Chinese Affairs | 17 | Review | 5000 – 10000 words |
| Social Justice Research | 17 | Book Review | NA |
| Social Justice Research | 17 | Review | NA |
| Journal of Political Ideologies | 17 | Book Review | NA |
| Brazilian Political Science Review | 16 | Bibliographical Review | 6000 words |
| Brazilian Political Science Review | 16 | Book Review | 1900 words |
| Theory & Event | 16 | Book Review | NA |
| Politikon | 16 | Book Review | NA |
| Politikon | 16 | Review | 5000 words |
| Distinktion: Journal of Social Theory | 16 | Review Article | 6000 – 9000 words |
| Studies in Social Justice | 15 | Book Review | 1000 – 2000 words |
| Studies in Social Justice | 15 | Review | 6000 words |
| European Foreign Affairs Review | 15 | Book Review | NA |
| Irish Political Studies | 15 | Review | 8000 – 10000 words |
| Journal of Legislative Studies | 15 | Review | 4000 – 7000 words |
| Middle Eastern Studies | 15 | Book Review | NA |
| Scandinavian Political Studies | 14 | Book Review | 1000 words |
| Scandinavian Political Studies | 14 | Literature Review | 3000 words |
| Middle East Policy | 14 | Book Review | NA |
| World Affairs | 14 | Book Review | 1000 words |
| World Affairs | 14 | Review | 1000 words |
| World Affairs | 14 | Website Review | 500 – 1000 words |
| Journal of Poverty and Social Justice | 14 | Book Review | NA |
| Utilitas | 14 | Book Review | NA |
| Res Publica | 14 | Book Review (Single) | 2500 words |
| Res Publica | 14 | Book Review (Multiple) | 4000 words |
| National Identities | 14 | Book Review | 10000 words |
| Journal of Policing, Intelligence and Counter Terrorism | 14 | Book Review | 500 – 1000 words |
| Comparative Strategy | 14 | Book Review | NA |
| Political Science Quarterly | 13 | Review | 8500 words |
| Political Science Quarterly | 13 | Book Review | 600 words |
| International Area Studies Review | 13 | Review Essay | 5000 words |
| History of Political Economy | 13 | Book Review | NA |
| International Journal of Middle East Studies | 13 | Book Review | NA |
| Journal of East Asian Studies | 13 | Review Essay | 10000 words |
| Journal of East Asian Studies | 13 | Book Review | 1000 words |
| French Politics | 13 | Review | 4000 – 8000 words |
| Democracy and Security | 13 | Book Review | NA |
| Rethinking Marxism | 13 | Review | 500 – 1000 words |
| International Journal of Intelligence and CounterIntelligence | 13 | Book Review | NA |
| PoLAR: Political and Legal Anthropology Review | 12 | Book Review | 800 – 1000 words |
| Journal of Moral Philosophy | 12 | Book Review | NA |
| Revista de Estudios Politicos | 12 | Bibliographic Notes | NA |
| Revista de Estudios Politicos | 12 | Book Review | NA |
| Journal of Asian Security and International Affairs | 12 | Book Review | NA |
| Studies in Indian Politics | 12 | Book Review (Single) | 1000 words |
| Studies in Indian Politics | 12 | Book Review (Multiple) | 3000 words |
| Revista del CLAD Reforma y Democracia | 12 | Review | 6000 – 10000 words |
| German Politics and Society | 12 | Book Review | 750 – 1500 words |
| German Politics and Society | 12 | Review | 1500 – 2000 words |
| Politica y Gobierno | 11 | Bibliographic Essay | NA |
| Digest of Middle East Studies | 11 | Critical Review | 5000 words |
| Japanese Journal of Political Science | 11 | Book Review (Single) | 2000 words |
| Japanese Journal of Political Science | 11 | Book Review (Multiple) | 4000 – 8000 words |
| Scottish Affairs | 11 | Book Review | NA |
| Peace Review | 11 | Review | 3000 – 3500 words |
| Canadian Foreign Policy Journal | 11 | Book Review | 1000 words |
| Critical Review | 11 | Book Review | NA |
| Nonproliferation Review | 11 | Book Review | NA |
| Latin American Policy | 10 | Review Essay | 3000 NA |
| Review of Politics | 10 | Book Review | NA |
| RUDN Journal of Political Science | 9 | Literature Review | 6000 words |
| Journal of Church and State | 9 | Book Review | NA |
| European Review of International Studies | 9 | Review | 3000 – 5000 words |
| European Review of International Studies | 9 | Book Review | 1000 – 1500 words |
| New Global Studies | 9 | Book Review | NA |
| New Global Studies | 9 | Review Essay | NA |
| Australian Journal of Politics and History | 8 | Invited Review | 1500 NA |
| Internasjonal Politikk | 8 | Book Essay | 20000 characters |
| Internasjonal Politikk | 8 | Book Review | 10000 characters |
| Austrian Journal of Political Science | 7 | Review Article | 7000 – 10000 words |
| Austrian Journal of Political Science | 7 | Book Review (Single) | 800 words |
| Austrian Journal of Political Science | 7 | Book Review (Multiple) | 2800 words |
| Social Justice | 7 | Book Review | 1000 – 2000 words |
| History of Political Thought | 7 | Book Review | NA |
| French Politics, Culture and Society | 6 | Book Review | 750 – 1500 words |
| French Politics, Culture and Society | 6 | Review | 2000 – 3000 words |
| Politicka Ekonomie | 6 | Book Review | 10000 characters |
| Parliamentary History | 5 | Book Review | NA |
| Res Publica: revista de historia de las ideas politicas | 5 | Review | 5 pages |
| Parliaments, Estates and Representation | 5 | Book Review | NA |
| Indian Foreign Affairs Journal | 4 | Book Review | 1200 – 1500 words |
| Perspectives on Political Science | 4 | Book Review | NA |
| Politeia | 2 | Book Review | NA |
| Armed Forces and Society | NA | Book Review | 2000 words |
| IAPSS Politikon | NA | Book Review | 500 – 1000 words |
| IAPSS Politikon | NA | Review Essay | 1500 – 3000 words |
| Romanian Journal of Political Science | NA | Book Review (Single) | 1200 words |
| Romanian Journal of Political Science | NA | Book Review (Multiple) | 3000 words |
| African Journal of Political Science and International Relations | NA | Review | 12 – 18 pages |
| Atlantis: Critical Studies in Gender, Culture and Social Justice | NA | Book Review | 1000 words |
| Atlantis: Critical Studies in Gender, Culture and Social Justice | NA | Original Literary Work | 3000 words |
| Hobbes Studies | NA | Book Review | 2000 words |
| Journal of Pacifism and Nonviolence | NA | Book Review (Single) | 1000 words |
| Journal of Pacifism and Nonviolence | NA | Book Review (Multiple) | 3000 words |
| International Journal of Parliamentary Studies | NA | Book Review | 2000 words |
| International Journal of Parliamentary Studies | NA | Conference Review | 2000 words |
| Philippine Political Science Journal | NA | Review Essay | 3000 – 5000 NA |
| Philippine Political Science Journal | NA | Book Review | 800 – 1200 NA |
| Czech Journal of Political Science | NA | Review Essay | 4000 words |
| Czech Journal of Political Science | NA | Review | 2000 words |
| Journal of Politics in Latin America | NA | Review | 8000 words |
| Philosophy and Public Affairs | NA | Review Essay | 7000 – 9000 words |
| Studies in Ethnicity and Nationalism | NA | Book Review | 600 – 1000 words |
| Foro Interno | NA | Book Review | 6 pages |
| Environment and Security | NA | Book Review | 3000 words |
| Environment and Security | NA | Review Article | 10000 words |
| Politics and Gender | NA | Book Review (Single) | 750 – 1000 words |
| Politics and Gender | NA | Book Review (Multiple) | 750 – 1200 words |
| Global Policy: Next Generation | NA | Book Review | 1500 words |
| Soundings: An Interdisciplinary Journal | NA | Book Review | 1500 words |
| Political Research Exchange | NA | State of the Art Reviews | 8000 words |
| Political Science | NA | Review | 4000 words |
| Ethics and Global Politics | NA | Book Review | NA |
| Ethics and Global Politics | NA | Review Essay | NA |