Propose a Special Section or Forum

The International Journal of Communication periodically publishes Special Sections and Forums, which are venues for presenting curated thematic collections of work that advance important conversations. We particularly welcome projects that offer innovative perspectives in terms of the questions asked, answers provided, research contexts explored, and/or methods used.

A Special Section typically contains four or more original research articles plus an editorial introduction. The introduction is usually 2,000-5,000 words, and research articles are up to 8,900 words. Please refer to our author guidelines for more details.

A Forum consists of shorter essays that range from 1,500 to 3,000 words. We welcome flexible formats, such as case studies, book reviews, roundtable discussions, and interviews. The costs for Forum articles are assessed on a case-by-case basis, depending on the volume and length of the articles.

The cost of each Special Section article is about $1,000, which pays for copyediting and production. Since Special Sections typically consist of eight articles, including the introduction, the average cost is $8,000. Costs for Forum articles will be assessed on a case-by-case basis, depending on the volume and length of articles. On average, Special Sections take about 12–14 months to publish from the time that papers arrive at the journal.

All special project proposals are reviewed for fit and rigor. The editorial team may request revisions to the scope and logistical aspects of the proposal.

Please complete your proposal using this template and submit it to Chi Zhang, the Managing Editor, Special Sections, at [email protected].