Focus and Scope

Journal of Social Law and Justice (JSOL) is a biannual, peer-reviewed, open-access journal that publishes theoretical and empirical research on the dynamic relationship between law, society, and justice. It offers a multidisciplinary platform for legal scholars, practitioners, and researchers to examine emerging and contemporary issues in social law and justice from a global and comparative perspective, with particular attention to local and regional developments.

Biannual
Two issues a year
Double-blind
Peer review
Open access
Free to read on publication
CC BY-NC 4.0
Article license

1. Aims and Scholarly Orientation

JSOL is dedicated to advancing understanding of how law operates in society and how it contributes to, or falls short of, justice. The journal welcomes work that connects legal analysis with social, political, economic, and cultural contexts.

Theory and evidence
Theoretical, doctrinal, and empirical studies are all welcome, including mixed and interdisciplinary approaches.
Global and comparative
Research that compares legal systems and practices or places local questions in a wider international perspective.
Local and regional focus
Studies of developments in specific local and regional settings, including their legal practice, institutions, and communities.
Multidisciplinary audience
Legal scholars, practitioners, and researchers from related disciplines who share an interest in law and justice.

The journal welcomes contributions from scholars and practitioners worldwide, especially those engaged in cross-jurisdictional or comparative research.

2. Topics of Interest

Topics of interest include, but are not limited to:

Law and Society; Socio-Legal Studies
Access to Justice and Legal Aid
Human Rights and Social Justice
Legal Pluralism, Customary, and Religious Law
Criminal Justice and Restorative Approaches
Constitutional and Administrative Law
Gender, Children, and Vulnerable Groups before the Law
Labour, Welfare, and Social Security Law
Environmental, Land, and Natural Resource Law
Technology, Digital Society, and Law
Legal Institutions, Governance, and the Rule of Law
Legal Education and the Legal Profession
Comparative and International Law
Law, Policy, and Social Change
Submissions on other subjects are welcome if they clearly address the relationship between law, society, and justice.

3. Scholarly Contribution and Peer Review

All manuscripts undergo editorial screening for fit with the journal's scope and for compliance with the author guidelines. Manuscripts selected for further assessment undergo rigorous double-blind peer review, in which the identities of authors and reviewers are concealed from each other, to uphold the academic quality and integrity of the published research.

The journal encourages original, innovative manuscripts that advance legal theory, methodology, and analysis, and that offer evidence-based insights for scholarship, policy, and practice.

?Clear research question and contribution to the field.
?Sound legal and methodological approach, with transparent sources.
?Relevance to law, society, and justice.
?Originality and compliance with the journal's publication ethics.
 

Manuscripts outside the journal's focus and scope may be rejected during initial screening without external review. Further information is available in the Manuscript Type, Author Guidelines, and Peer Review Process pages.

4. Open Access and Scholarly Collaboration

JSOL is committed to open access to scholarly research. Published articles are freely available online, helping scholars, practitioners, students, and policymakers who may lack access to costly legal and academic databases.

The journal also aims to foster collaboration among legal scholars and practitioners across regions and jurisdictions, encouraging the exchange of ideas between academic research and legal practice.

Details are provided in the journal's Open Access Policy.