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Building an international relations journal from scratch and from the margins: the case of Journal of Regional Security

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Abstract

This article analyzes the path of establishment of the Journal of Regional Security (JRS), an open-access journal which was built from scratch by a group of scholars interested in security and peace in the Western Balkans. The article shows that a successful building of an International Relations journal from scratch on the semiperiphery requires not only long-term commitment with slow and uncertain payoffs but also a lot of creativity and flexibility. Initially, the article delves into the Journal’s history, situating it within broader institutional and sociopolitical contexts that have shaped its development. Subsequently, it examines how JRS has positioned itself on the semiperiphery and within the emerging global International Relations program. The third section discusses effective strategies employed by the editorial team to navigate International Relations hierarchies and rankings, emphasizing creativity, innovation, networking, and dedication to the journal’s mission. Finally, it concludes by addressing the challenges and opportunities faced by JRS, suggesting that despite being a small, independent journal operating in a semiperipheral context, it can leverage its unique position to its advantage.

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  • Diplomatic and International History
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Data availability

The authors confirm that the data supporting the findings of this study are available within the article, as well as from the authors (co-editors of the Journal of Regional Security) upon reasonable request. For more information about the Journal of Regional Security, please visit: www.regionalsecurityjournal.com.

Notes

  1. The pitfall of this model is the fact that donors might shy away from certain topics that could be seen as politically sensitive. In the case of JRS this issue has never influenced the editorial policies or topics that are covered but it did have an effect on the (in)visibility of the donors.

  2. Journal editing could be counted under research or service to the community, although it is an additional workload compared to other academics who do not take up the editorial position. However, our unpaid journal work shows perseverance and enthusiasm—something that may limit how far the journal can progress if the scarce finances cannot match the growing aspirations of the Journal and its potential.

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Acknowledgements

Marko Kovačević, Filip Ejdus, and Nemanja Džuverović would like to acknowledge that his research was supported by the Science Fund of the Republic of Serbia, grant no. 7744512, Monitoring and Indexing Peace and Security in the Western Balkans—MIND.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. University of Belgrade – Faculty of Political Science, Belgrade, Serbia

    Marko Kovačević, Filip Ejdus & Nemanja Džuverović

  2. University of Ljubljana – Faculty of Social Sciences, Ljubljana, Slovenia

    Rok Zupančič

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Rok Zupančič.

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Kovačević, M., Ejdus, F., Džuverović, N. et al. Building an international relations journal from scratch and from the margins: the case of Journal of Regional Security. Eur Polit Sci (2025). https://doi.org/10.1057/s41304-025-00532-w

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  • DOI https://doi.org/10.1057/s41304-025-00532-w

Keywords

  • Journal of Regional Security
  • Serbia
  • The Balkans
  • Journal
  • Knowledge production

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