Editorial

Citation

Hartigan, J. and McMahon, J. (2015), "Editorial", Journal of International Trade Law and Policy, Vol. 14 No. 1. https://doi.org/10.1108/JITLP-08-2015-0020

Editorial

Article Type: Editorial From: Journal of International Trade Law and Policy, Volume 14, Issue 1

With this issue, the Journal of International Trade Law and Policy is being relaunched. The changes are many, and begin with a new economics editor (myself) and legal editor (Joe McMahon, Dean of the UCD Sutherland School of Law at University College Dublin). This extends to ten new board members from economics and nine from law. As this transformation evolves, we anticipate adding an editor from political science, as well as board members from this discipline. Although we foresee economics, law and political science serving as the disciplinary focus of the Journal, contributions from other disciplines are not to be discouraged, so long as they adhere to the topical domain of the periodical.

Our next change relates to submissions, as we intend to sharpen the focus of the Journal. Submissions should contribute to understanding international economic policy and the institutional/legal architecture in which it is implemented. Submissions can be conceptual (theoretical) and/or empirical and/or doctrinal in content. Topics of interest to the Journal are expected to evolve over time but include:

• all aspects of international trade law and policy;

• all aspects of international investment law and policy;

• all aspects of international development law and policy;

• all aspects of international financial law and policy; and

• relationship between economic policy and law and other societal concerns, including the human rights, environment, health, development and national security.

This underscores a pair of emphases. One is international. The other is policy. A paper of interest to the target audience of the Journal, as well as its editors and board members, must contain substantive elements of both. So, articles that are published should address matters of policy substantively. Policy should not be tangential. Thus a paper discussing the relationship between trade and growth in country X will be of interest if it considers which policies may be most conducive to growth or the role of institutions, domestic, regional and/or international, in promoting such growth will be of interest. In the absence of such a policy discussion, the paper would not likely be of interest.

We also will broaden the interdisciplinary focus, welcoming contributions addressing institutions, policies and regulations, from all perspectives. We expect, however, that the majority of papers will have the perspectives of the disciplines that traditionally have addressed our topical focus. As scholars tend to read individual articles of particular interest to them, rather than an entire issue, authors are not required to write with full accessibility to readers from all disciplines within the purview of the Journal. However, interdisciplinary communication should be fostered where possible. Thus economists can utilize quantitative methods (including econometrics and statistics), while legal scholars and political scientists can invoke specialized techniques and theories. Appendices are encouraged for more technical material.

In addition to interdisciplinary breadth, we intend to expand the geographical sources of our published articles. We seek contributions from around the globe, including advanced economies, newly industrialized economies and less developed countries. This is another dimension for expansion of our scholarship. Quality of scholarship will also be strongly emphasized. We are prepared to reduce the number of published papers per issue for as long as necessary to underscore this commitment. Our objective is to be the first choice of scholars in this topical area. Thus all papers submitted to the Journal will undergo a rigorous peer review process. Recognized scholars will be solicited for their opinions.

In facilitating the relaunching of the Journal, we anticipate publishing invited papers from recognized scholars, special issues focusing on a timely subject and conference proceedings, in addition to the traditional source of unsolicited submissions.

James Hartigan

Department of Economics, University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma, USA, and

Joseph McMahon

UCD Sutherland School of Law, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland