The Migration Politics journal invites proposals for two Special Issues through its Annual Special Issue Call, issued each February.
The 2026 call will select two proposals to be published in Winter 2027 and Summer 2028.
All Special Issue themes relevant to the broad scope of Migration Politics will be considered, regardless of specific focus. Prospective guest editor(s) are encouraged to consult the journal’s website for an overview of articles published to date.
Proposals should comprise 7–8 articles, including a Special Issue introduction and original research articles. Proposals may be submitted by early-career or established scholars, and contributions co-authored by scholars and practitioners are also welcome.
Proposal Requirements
- a conceptual, empirical, and/or methodological rationale addressing:
- Why this Special Issue?
- What does it add to the existing literature?
- Why these specific papers, case studies, or approaches?
- How will the Special Issue implement the journal’s slow science core values in its editorial process?
- How is the Special Issue more than the sum of its individual contributions?
- a realistic workplan and timeline
- paper abstracts (maximum 250 words each)
- biographical notes of contributors (maximum 100 words each)
- biographical notes of guest editor(s) (maximum 200 words total)
Proposals should be concise and must not exceed 5,000 words.
Article Length
Final articles should normally be between 8,000 and 9,000 words. The word limit includes footnotes, appendices included in the main text, and any figures, tables, or charts, but excludes the reference list.
Slow Science Principles
In drafting their proposal, guest editors are expected to explain how they intend to implement the journal’s slow science core values in their editorial process. This may include, for example, collective workshops, iterative feedback mechanisms, or other forms of sustained scholarly engagement. Editors may include activities conducted prior to the submission of the Special Issue proposal, or that are planned to take place afterwards. Editors are invited to describe the activities in detail and explain how they contributed or will contribute to the consolidation of the Special Issue. Any workshops or collective activities must be organised and funded by the guest editors. Applicants are encouraged to consult the Migration Politics website for further details on the journal’s slow science principles.
Evaluation Process and Timeline
Proposals will be evaluated by the journal’s core editorial team on the basis of their quality and alignment with the journal’s scope and mission. Once a proposal is accepted, two members of the editorial team will oversee the peer review process. The Migration Politics Editorial College will make the final decision.
Acceptance of a Special Issue does not guarantee publication of all submitted articles. Each article will be reviewed individually and, once accepted, will be published on a rolling basis. The introduction and the Special Issue as a whole will also be reviewed by the journal’s editors.
The successful proposal teams will be notified by the end of June 2026.
Submission Details
Proposals must be submitted by 15 May 2026 through this form. For further questions, applicants are welcome to write an email to Dr. Federica Zardo at migrationpolitics@donau-uni.ac.at with subject line: “Special Issue 2026”.
Migration Politics 