Membership

Global Frontier: An Interdisciplinary Journal of Politics is sustained by the active participation of a scholarly community — researchers, academics, and practitioners who share a commitment to rigorous, interdisciplinary, and ethically conducted political scholarship. The journal values the expertise and service of every scholar who contributes to its mission, whether as a peer reviewer, editorial board member, or engaged reader.

This page describes the ways in which scholars can engage with the journal beyond submitting manuscripts. All forms of engagement with Global Frontier are entirely free of charge. The journal does not levy any membership fees, subscription fees, registration fees, or charges of any kind for participation in any of the activities described on this page.

1. Join the Peer Reviewer Panel

The Role of Peer Review

Peer review is the foundation of credible academic publishing. The intellectual quality, fairness, and scholarly rigour of Global Frontier depend directly on the expertise and commitment of its peer reviewers. Peer review is a fundamental act of scholarly citizenship — a contribution to the discipline that is recognised as a significant form of academic service in its own right.

Global Frontier operates a double-blind peer review process, in which the identities of both authors and reviewers remain confidential throughout. All manuscripts are assessed on the basis of originality, analytical rigour, methodological soundness, clarity of argument, and contribution to the field. The review process is conducted in accordance with the principles established by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).

What Peer Review Involves

Reviewers who accept an invitation to review a manuscript for Global Frontier are asked to:

• Read the submitted manuscript carefully and evaluate it against the journal’s review criteria
• Provide a structured, specific, and constructive written review within the agreed timeframe — typically four to six weeks from the date of invitation
• Recommend one of the following editorial decisions — Accept, Minor Revision, Major Revision, or Reject — with clear reasoning and evidence-based justification
• Maintain strict confidentiality regarding the manuscript, its contents, and the review outcome throughout and after the review process
• Declare any conflict of interest prior to or upon receipt of the manuscript, and decline the review invitation if such a conflict exists
• Refrain from using any ideas, data, arguments, or findings from manuscripts under review in their own work without the explicit written consent of the author or authors

Reviewers are under no obligation to accept every invitation they receive. The editorial office fully respects a reviewer’s decision to decline any invitation and asks only that reviewers notify the office promptly if they are unable to accept, so that the manuscript may be assigned without delay.

Eligibility to Join the Reviewer Panel

Global Frontier welcomes reviewer registrations from scholars who meet the following criteria:

• Hold a doctoral degree (PhD or equivalent) in political science or a closely related discipline
• Are currently affiliated with a recognised university, research institution, or policy research organisation
• Have demonstrable expertise — through publication, teaching, or professional experience — in one or more areas within the journal’s stated scope
• Are able to conduct reviews in English

Postdoctoral researchers, early-career faculty, and experienced policy analysts and practitioners with published research in relevant fields are warmly encouraged to register. Researchers from interdisciplinary fields — including law, sociology, history, economics, philosophy, and cultural studies — whose expertise intersects substantively with political inquiry are equally welcome.

In accordance with standard academic publishing practice and COPE guidelines, doctoral candidates who have not yet been awarded their PhD are not eligible to serve as peer reviewers.

Reviewer Recognition

Global Frontier recognises and values the time and expertise contributed by its peer reviewers. The following recognition arrangements are in place for all reviewers.

Reviewer Acknowledgement The journal acknowledges the contributions of its peer reviewer community on an annual basis. Reviewers who have completed at least one review during the preceding volume year are listed collectively on the journal’s website as part of the annual reviewer acknowledgement.

Certificate of Review Reviewers may request a formal Certificate of Review from the editorial office upon completing any peer review for the journal. The certificate confirms the reviewer’s service, the journal’s name, and the date of review, and may be used for academic, professional, and institutional purposes including CV documentation and promotion applications.

Publons / Web of Science Reviewer Recognition Global Frontier supports the use of Publons (Web of Science Researcher Profiles) for reviewer recognition. Reviewers who maintain a Publons profile may have their review activity recorded and verified through the platform, providing a portable and externally verifiable record of peer review service. Reviewers wishing to claim their review on Publons should inform the editorial office at the time of completing their review.

ORCID Integration The journal encourages all reviewers to maintain an ORCID iD, the internationally recognised persistent digital identifier for researchers. Reviewers are invited to include their ORCID iD when registering with the journal. ORCID provides a reliable and interoperable record of scholarly activity, including peer review service.

Priority for Journal Opportunities Reviewers who are active, reliable, and constructive members of the reviewer panel receive priority consideration for invitations to contribute to special issues, thematic collections, and editorial activities as the journal develops.

How to Register as a Peer Reviewer

To join the peer reviewer panel of Global Frontier, please email the editorial office at:

📧 [Insert Journal Email Address]

Subject line: Reviewer Registration — [Your Name] — [Area of Expertise]

Please include the following in your email:

• Full name
• Current designation and institutional affiliation
• Complete institutional address
• Institutional email address
• ORCID iD (if available)
• Primary areas of expertise — please be as specific as possible (for example: South Asian electoral politics, democratic theory, international security, environmental governance, AI regulation and governance, international political economy)
• A brief academic profile or short CV of no more than two pages, or a link to your institutional profile on your institution’s official website

The editorial office acknowledges all reviewer registrations within five working days. You will be contacted when a manuscript suitable for your stated areas of expertise is received by the journal.

Reviewer Guidelines and Ethics

All reviewers are expected to conduct their reviews in accordance with the journal’s Publication Ethics Policy and the COPE Ethical Guidelines for Peer Reviewers. The key expectations are summarised below.

Confidentiality — All manuscripts received for review are confidential documents. Reviewers must not share, discuss, or disclose the existence or content of a manuscript under review with any third party, at any stage of the process.

Impartiality — Reviews must be conducted objectively and without personal, institutional, or ideological bias. Criticism must be directed at the work, not the author.

Conflict of Interest — Reviewers must declare any potential conflict of interest — including personal, professional, financial, or institutional relationships with the author or authors — prior to or upon receipt of the manuscript. If a conflict exists, reviewers must decline the invitation.

Timeliness — Reviewers are expected to complete their review within the agreed timeframe. If a reviewer is unable to meet the deadline, the editorial office should be notified at the earliest opportunity so that the manuscript is not delayed.

Constructiveness — Reviewer comments must be specific, evidence-based, and constructive. The purpose of peer review is to help authors improve their work and to assist the editor in making a well-informed editorial decision.

Integrity — Reviewers must not use any ideas, data, or unpublished findings from a manuscript under review in their own research or publications without the explicit written consent of the author or authors.

The full version of the journal’s reviewer guidelines is available on the Publication Ethics page.

2. Join the Editorial Board

About the Editorial Board

The Editorial Board of Global Frontier comprises scholars and practitioners with expertise spanning political science, international relations, comparative politics, law, governance, political economy, and related disciplines. Board members contribute to the journal’s peer review process, uphold its academic and ethical standards, advise on its scholarly direction, and support its development as a credible and internationally recognised platform for political scholarship.

Global Frontier is committed to building an Editorial Board that reflects the full breadth, diversity, and geographical reach of contemporary political scholarship. The journal actively seeks board members from diverse institutional contexts — including universities and research institutions in South Asia, Southeast Asia, Africa, the Middle East, Latin America, and Eastern Europe — and from the full range of disciplinary traditions that the journal’s interdisciplinary scope encompasses.

Eligibility for Editorial Board Membership

Candidates for Editorial Board membership must meet the following criteria:

• Hold a doctoral degree (PhD or equivalent) and a senior academic designation — Assistant Professor, Associate Professor, Professor, Reader, or equivalent — at a recognised university or research institution, OR hold a senior position at a recognised policy research institute or think tank with a demonstrable record of scholarly publication
• Have a documented record of publication in political science or a closely related discipline, including peer-reviewed journal articles, book chapters, or scholarly monographs
• Have expertise in one or more areas within the journal’s stated scope
• Be willing to participate actively in the journal’s peer review process, reviewing a reasonable number of manuscripts per year as assigned by the Editor-in-Chief
• Have a verifiable institutional profile accessible through their affiliated institution’s official website

In accordance with ISSN India guidelines and standard international publishing practice, doctoral candidates and individuals without a senior academic or equivalent professional designation are not eligible for appointment to the Editorial Board.

Responsibilities of Editorial Board Members

Editorial Board members are expected to:

• Review manuscripts assigned by the Editor-in-Chief in their area of expertise — typically three to five manuscripts per year, depending on the volume of submissions in their field
• Respond promptly to editorial correspondence, review invitations, and requests for advice from the editorial office
• Maintain confidentiality regarding all manuscripts, author identities, and editorial matters
• Declare any conflict of interest to the Editor-in-Chief and recuse themselves from editorial decisions in which such a conflict exists
• Advise on the scholarly direction, thematic focus, and academic standards of the journal as requested by the editorial team
• Support the journal’s visibility and reputation within their disciplinary and institutional communities
• Respond to any verification correspondence from ISSN India, UGC, DOAJ, or other regulatory or indexing bodies within the timeframe required

Editorial Board membership is an honorary appointment. Board members are not remunerated. Membership is renewed on a rolling basis and reviewed periodically by the Editor-in-Chief.

How to Express Interest in Editorial Board Membership

Scholars wishing to be considered for appointment to the Editorial Board of Global Frontier are invited to submit a formal expression of interest to the editorial office at:

📧 [Insert Journal Email Address]

Subject line: Editorial Board Membership — [Your Name] — [Your Institution]

Please include the following in your email:

• Full name
• Exact designation and title
• Department and complete institutional address
• Institutional email address
• ORCID iD (if available)
• Link to your institutional profile page on your institution’s official website
• A brief statement of no more than 200 words describing your areas of expertise and your interest in contributing to the journal
• A short academic CV or publication list of no more than three pages

The Editor-in-Chief reviews all expressions of interest and contacts candidates whose expertise and profile align with the journal’s current needs. Submission of an expression of interest does not guarantee appointment to the Editorial Board.

3. Join the International Advisory Board

The International Advisory Board of Global Frontier comprises distinguished scholars from leading universities and research institutions across the world. Advisory Board members provide strategic guidance on the journal’s development, contribute to its international visibility and credibility, and advise on its scholarly direction and thematic focus. They do not participate in routine manuscript review.

Senior scholars of international standing in political science, international relations, or related disciplines who wish to express interest in joining the International Advisory Board are invited to contact the editorial office. Appointment to the Advisory Board is at the sole discretion of the Editor-in-Chief.

📧 [Insert Journal Email Address]

Subject line: Advisory Board Interest — [Your Name] — [Your Institution]

4. Subscribe to Journal Updates

Global Frontier sends periodic email updates to scholars who have expressed interest in following the journal. These updates include:

• Announcements of newly published issues and individual articles
• Calls for papers and manuscript submission deadlines
• Announcements of special issues and thematic collections
• Conference and academic event listings relevant to the journal’s scope
• Seminar, webinar, and public lecture announcements
• Editorial news and announcements from the journal

Subscribing to journal updates is entirely free and carries no obligation to submit manuscripts, serve as a reviewer, or engage with the journal in any formal capacity.

To subscribe, please email the editorial office at [Insert Journal Email Address] with the subject line: Journal Updates — Subscribe — [Your Name], including your full name and institutional affiliation.

To unsubscribe at any time, email the same address with the subject line: Journal Updates — Unsubscribe — [Your Name]. Your contact details are used solely for the purpose of sending journal updates and communications and are not shared with any third party.

Summary — Ways to Engage with Global Frontier

The Journal’s Commitment to Its Reviewer and Editorial Community

Global Frontier recognises that the time, expertise, and scholarly judgment of its peer reviewers and Editorial Board members are contributions of genuine and irreplaceable value to academic publishing. The journal is committed to the following in return:

• Acknowledging all reviewer registrations and expressions of interest within five working days
• Sending review invitations only when a manuscript genuinely and specifically matches a reviewer’s stated area of expertise
• Providing reviewers with all materials and information needed to conduct a thorough and well-informed review
• Communicating editorial decisions, including final outcomes, to reviewers where appropriate
• Fully respecting a reviewer’s decision to decline a review invitation, without pressure or repeated follow-up
• Issuing Certificates of Review to all reviewers who request them promptly upon completion
• Supporting reviewer recognition through Publons and ORCID integration
• Acknowledging the collective contribution of the reviewer community annually on the journal’s website

For any queries about peer review registration, Editorial Board membership, advisory board interest, or journal subscriptions, please contact the editorial office at [Insert Journal Email Address]. The editorial team responds to all membership and community queries within five working days.