Defence Studies is a scholarly journal aimed at the study of contemporary defence and emergent warfare from both a theoretical and empirical perspective. The scope of the journal is set to examine how armed forces seek to engage with conceptual, strategic and operational challenges.
We welcome papers that consider how states and non-state actors think and determine insecurities through defence policies. The journal also encourages papers that engage with how defence strategy is constructed and operationalised. Following this, we look for papers that explore operational deployment in conflict zones and alternative battlespaces. The journal is an arena for debate in and around defence studies from both traditional and critical studies. We welcome scholars who explore these debates in the areas of war studies, strategic theory, policy studies, critical security as well as case study, regional and global comparisons. The journal has recently published on force transformation, cyber defence, counter-insurgency (COIN), naval warfare and tactical nuclear strategy.
Articles and essays are aimed at defence scholars, analytics and professionals as well as those in war and conflict studies. The journal is especially keen to appeal to those working on defence from cross-disciplinary and policy perspectives. While we note the emphasis in relating to those looking for discussion and analysis without the depths of theoretical meandering, we aim to indicate how the nature and character of war are influenced by the martial, political, economic and techno-scientific fields.
Peer Review
Submissions to Defence Studies will proceed through a double anonymized peer review process. Referees are drawn from proven defence and war studies experts in academia, think tanks, non-governmental organisations and, on occasion, defence and police forces. All submitted manuscripts are subject to initial appraisal by the editors, and, if found suitable for further consideration, research articles are then subject to peer review by (normally two) independent, anonymous expert referees. For special issues, all articles will be subject to a similar peer-preview process for the individual articles and at least one expert referee will review the special issue as a completed and coherent piece of work. Book reviews do not go through peer review but are reviewed instead by the journal's editorial team.
Journal metrics
Usage
149K annual downloads/views
Citation metrics
2.3 (2023) CiteScore (Scopus)
Q1 CiteScore Best Quartile
0.984 (2023) SNIP
0.349 (2023) SJR
Speed/acceptance
74 days avg. from submission to first
decision
156 days avg. from submission to first
post-review decision
14 days avg. from acceptance to online
publication
39% 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.
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.
Simon J. Smith - Center for War and Society, San Diego State University, USA
Founding Editors:
David Hall - King's College London, UK
Wyn Bowen - King's College London, UK
Editorial Board:
David P. Auerswald - National Defense University, USA
Rajesh Basrur - S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies, Singapore
David Blagden - University of Exeter, UK
Michael Clarke - Royal United Services Institute for Defence and Security Studies, UK
John Deni - US Army War College, USA
Andrew Dorman - King's College, Defence Studies, UK
Johan Eriksson - Swedish Institute of International Affairs, Sweden
David J. Galbreath - University of Bath, UK
Carmen Gebhard - University of Edinburgh, UK
Giampiero Giacomello - Università di Bologna, Italy
Manabrata Guha - Centre for Joint War Studies, India
Alice Hills - Durham University, UK
Anthony King - University of Warwick, UK
Thomas G. Mahnken - US Naval War College, USA
Per M. Norheim-Martinsen - Institute for Defence Studies, Norwegian Defence University College
R. Craig Nation - U. S. Army War College, USA
Arash Heydarian Pashakhanlou - Swedish Defence University, Sweden
Vladimir Rauta- University of Reading, UK
Olivier Schmitt- Center for War Studies, University of Southern Denmark
Andrew Wolff - Dickson College, UK
Open access
Defence Studies 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.
Taylor & Francis make every effort to ensure the accuracy of all the information (the "Content") contained in our publications. However, Taylor & Francis, our agents (including the editor, any member of the editorial team or editorial board, and any guest editors), and our licensors, make no representations or warranties whatsoever as to the accuracy, completeness, or suitability for any purpose of the Content. Any opinions and views expressed in this publication are the opinions and views of the authors, and are not the views of or endorsed by Taylor & Francis. The accuracy of the Content should not be relied upon and should be independently verified with primary sources of information. Taylor & Francis shall not be liable for any losses, actions, claims, proceedings, demands, costs, expenses, damages, and other liabilities whatsoever or howsoever caused arising directly or indirectly in connection with, in relation to, or arising out of the use of the Content. Terms & Conditions of access and use can be found at http://www.tandfonline.com/page/terms-and-conditions .
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