About this journal
Aims and scope
The International Journal of Human Rights covers an exceptionally broad spectrum of human rights issues: human rights and the law, race, religion, gender, children, class, refugees and immigration. In addition to these general areas, the journal publishes articles and reports on the human rights aspects of: genocide, torture, capital punishment and the laws of war and war crimes. To encourage debate, the editors publish Forum pieces and discussion papers from authorative writers in the field. They also welcome comments, reflections, thematic essays and review articles and critical surveys of the literature.
The journal is essential reading for academics and students of political science and international law, officers in relevant NGOs, lawyers, politicians and civil servants, human rights activists, and the interested general public.
Peer Review
All primary research articles in this journal have undergone rigorous peer review, based on initial editor screening and double anonymized peer review by anonymous expert referees. Review articles, comment pieces, and reports are assessed by the journal’s editors.
Human Rights Researchers Network
IJHR is affiliated with the Human Rights Researchers Network. Launched in December 2014, the HRRN aims to be a representative group for individuals working across the field, from researchers to practitioners, activists to policy-makers. An annual subscription to the IJHR is one of the benefits available to members. To learn more about the HRRN and sign-up please click here.
"In the face of growing attacks on human rights in many countries, the risks faced by people who defend their universality have intensified. Human rights defenders increasingly face criminalization, persecution, arbitrary arrest and detention. They are threatened, physically attacked and assassinated. As we mark the 17th anniversary of the UN Declaration on Human Rights Defenders we should ask ourselves what more must be done to better protect defenders and promote their work. I welcome this Special Issue of the International Journal of Human Rights. It compels us to confront these challenges and to discuss critical questions, both among scholars and practitioners. Our next common goal is to translate this research into practical tools to strengthen the protection regime for human rights defenders."
- Mr. Michel Forst, the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders, in response to Volume 19, Issue 7, Special Issue: "Critical perspectives on the security and protection of human rights defenders"
Journal metrics
Usage
- 363K annual downloads/views
Citation metrics
- 1.1 (2023) Impact Factor
- Q2 Impact Factor Best Quartile
- 1.5 (2023) 5 year IF
- 2.8 (2023) CiteScore (Scopus)
- Q1 CiteScore Best Quartile
- 1.602 (2023) SNIP
- 0.318 (2023) SJR
Speed/acceptance
- 94 days avg. from submission to first decision
- 170 days avg. from submission to first post-review decision
- 8 days avg. from acceptance to online publication
- 28% acceptance rate
Understanding and using journal metrics
Journal metrics can be a useful tool for readers, as well as for authors who are deciding where to submit their next manuscript for publication. However, any one metric only tells a part of the story of a journal’s quality and impact. Each metric has its limitations which means that it should never be considered in isolation, and metrics should be used to support and not replace qualitative review.
We strongly recommend that you always use a number of metrics, alongside other qualitative factors such as a journal’s aims & scope, its readership, and a review of past content published in the journal. In addition, a single article should always be assessed on its own merits and never based on the metrics of the journal it was published in.
For more details, please read the Author Services guide to understanding journal metrics.
Journal metrics in brief
Usage and acceptance rate data above are for the last full calendar year and are updated annually in February. Speed data is updated every six months, based on the prior six months. Citation metrics are updated annually mid-year. Please note that some journals do not display all of the following metrics (find out why).
- Usage: the total number of times articles in the journal were viewed by users of Taylor & Francis Online in the previous calendar year, rounded to the nearest thousand.
Citation Metrics
- Impact Factor*: the average number of citations received by articles published in the journal within a two-year window. Only journals in the Clarivate Science Citation Index Expanded (SCIE), Social Sciences Citation Index (SSCI), Arts and Humanities Citation Index (AHCI) and the Emerging Sources Citation Index (ESCI) have an Impact Factor.
- Impact Factor Best Quartile*: the journal’s highest subject category ranking in the Journal Citation Reports. Q1 = 25% of journals with the highest Impact Factors.
- 5 Year Impact Factor*: the average number of citations received by articles in the journal within a five-year window.
- CiteScore (Scopus)†: the average number of citations received by articles in the journal over a four-year period.
- CiteScore Best Quartile†: the journal’s highest CiteScore ranking in a Scopus subject category. Q1 = 25% of journals with the highest CiteScores.
- SNIP (Source Normalized Impact per Paper): the number of citations per paper in the journal, divided by citation potential in the field.
- SJR (Scimago Journal Rank): Average number of (weighted) citations in one year, divided by the number of articles published in the journal in the previous three years.
Speed/acceptance
- From submission to first decision: the average (median) number of days for a manuscript submitted to the journal to receive a first decision. Based on manuscripts receiving a first decision in the last six months.
- From submission to first post-review decision: the average (median) number of days for a manuscript submitted to the journal to receive a first decision if it is sent out for peer review. Based on manuscripts receiving a post-review first decision in the last six months.
- From acceptance to online publication: the average (median) number of days from acceptance of a manuscript to online publication of the Version of Record. Based on articles published in the last six months.
- Acceptance rate: articles accepted for publication by the journal in the previous calendar year as percentage of all papers receiving a final decision.
For more details on the data above, please read the Author Services guide to understanding journal metrics.
*Copyright: Journal Citation Reports®, Clarivate Analytics
†Copyright: CiteScore™, Scopus
Editorial board
Editor-in-Chief
Damien Short - University of London, UK
Special Issue Manager
Primary contact for special issue pitches and related enquiries, email: [email protected]
Emma Pearce - University of London, UK
Senior Reviews Editor
Maria Carlotta Francesca Gorio - University of London, UK
Helle Abelvik-Lawson - University of London, UK
Ian Turner - University of Central Lancashire, UK
Associate Editors
Lilija Alijeva - City, University of London, UK
Mauro Barelli - City, University of London, UK
Sarah Capes - University of London, UK
Zoe Craig-Sparrow - University of London, UK
Martin Crook - University of West England, UK
John Duncan - University of London, UK
Andrew Fagan - Human Rights Centre, UK
Saphia Fleury - University of Hull, UK
Gizem Gedikoglu - Gedikoglu Law, Turkey
Sonja Grover - Lakehead University, Ontario, Canada
Nasia Hadjigeorgiou - University of Central Lancashire, Cyprus
Ling Han - Padova University, Italy
Samara Hand - University of New South Wales
Ellie Hease - University of London, UK
Alicia Heys - University of Hull, UK
Adam Hughes Henry - Australian National University, Australia
Yvonne Kallane - University of London, UK
Rachel Killean - University of Sydney, Australia
Jeffrey King - American University of Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
Luke Moffett - Queen’s University Belfast, UK
Shabnam Moinipour - Goldsmiths, University of London, UK
Amrita Mukherjee - University of Leeds, UK
Vincenzo Pasquantonio - University of London, UK
Emma Pearce - University of London, UK
Thomas J. W. Peck- University of Lancaster, UK
Pietro de Perini - Padova University, Italy
Malayna Raftopoulos - University of Aalborg, Denmark
Rahul Ranjan - University of Edinburgh, UK
Deepa Shah - University of Sussex, UK
Franca Viganò - Padova University, Italy
Matthew Waites - University of Glasgow, UK
Kimberly White - University of London, UK
Yesim Yaprak Yildiz - Goldsmiths, University of London, UK
Social Media Editor and HRRN Coordinator
Christina P. Walker- Purdue University, USA
Founding Editor
Frank Barnaby Biography - Stockbridge, Hants, UK
Editorial Advisory Group
Ken Booth - Aberystwyth University, UK
Paul Rogers - University of Bradford, UK
Ralph Beddard - University of Southampton, UK
Editorial Board
Mirko Bagaric - Deakin University, Australia
Cathal Doyle - Middlesex University, UK
Asbjorn Eide - University of Oslo, Norway
Michael Freeman - University of Essex, UK
Kay Goodall - University of Stirling, UK
David S.G. Goodman - Xi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University, Suzhou, China
Nicholas Grief - University of Kent, UK
Peter Hall - Chair of Physicians for Human Rights, London, UK
Andrew James Harding - University of Singapore, Singapore
Eric Heinze - Queen Mary, University of London, UK
Mark Henaghan - University of Otago, New Zealand
Alana Klein - McGill University, Canada
Leah Levin - London, UK
Robert McCorquodale - University of Nottingham, UK
Michael O'Flaherty - National University of Ireland, Galway, Ireland
Michael Palmer - SOAS, University of London, UK
Oliver Phillips - University of Westminster, UK
Amedeo Postiglione - Judge of the Italian Supreme Court, Italy
Paul Rishworth - University of Auckland, New Zealand
Alexander Rossnagel - University of Kassel, Germany
Jassi Sandhar - University of Bristol, UK
Martin Scheinin - European University Institute, Italy
Archbishop Desmond Tutu† - The Elders, Cape Town, Republic of South Africa
Abstracting and indexing
Open access
The International Journal of Human Rights is a hybrid open access journal that is part of our Open Select publishing program, giving you the option to publish open access. Publishing open access means that your article will be free to access online immediately on publication, increasing the visibility, readership, and impact of your research.
Why choose open access?
- Increase the discoverability and readership of your article
- Make an impact and reach new readers, not just those with easy access to a research library
- Freely share your work with anyone, anywhere
- Comply with funding mandates and meet the requirements of your institution, employer or funder
- Rigorous peer review for every open access article
Article Publishing Charges (APC)
If you choose to publish open access in this journal you may be asked to pay an Article Publishing Charge (APC). You may be able to publish your article at no cost to yourself or with a reduced APC if your institution or research funder has an open access agreement or membership with Taylor & Francis.
Use our APC finder to calculate your article publishing charge
10 issues per year
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