Journal profile · POLITICAL SCIENCE
Chinese Political Science Review
ISSN 2365-4244 · eISSN 2365-4252 · Springer Nature · 4 issues per year
Chinese Political Science Review: CAS Zone 1 · Sociology (2025 upgraded edition, Top journal); impact factor 5.1 (journal website); hybrid open access; APC about USD 3,390; median 121 days to acceptance (85 articles, last 24 months); 54 articles in 2025; indexed in ESCI and Scopus.
Scope
Aims, scope and focus
Chinese Political Science Review is published by Springer Nature and is in Zone 1 of Sociology in the CAS Journal Ranking (2025 upgraded edition, Top journal). By OpenAlex counts of its recent articles, its largest topics are China's Socioeconomic Reforms and Governance, International Relations and Foreign Policy and International Development and Aid, together about 39.1% of its articles. Its main subfields are Political Science and International Relations and Sociology and Political Science. (generated from OpenAlex topic counts and CAS ranking data)
Chinese Political Science Review (CPSR) is a premier peer-reviewed journal based in China that publishes original research of the highest scholarly quality across all areas of political science, including political theory, comparative politics, international relations, public administration, public policy, and research methodology. As a generalist journal, Chinese Political Science Review is committed to advancing the frontiers of the discipline. It welcomes theoretically ambitious, methodologically rigorous, and empirically grounded work that speaks to core debates in political science—regardless of geographic focus. The journal’s mission is to support research that reshapes theoretical frameworks, deepens analytical precision, and pushes the boundaries of how political phenomena are understood and explained. In addition to original research articles, the journal publishes a small number of field-shaping review essays that synthesize major developments and chart new directions in political science. All submissions are subject to double-blind peer review and held to the highest standards of academic excellence.
From the journal's Aims & Scope
Research area (LetPub): POLITICAL SCIENCE
Editor-in-chief Sujian GuoPublisher website
Editorial board by country: 31 in mainland China (about 66%); most named Mainland China 31, United States 10, Germany 3, United Kingdom 1, South Korea 1 (47 members with a country) Editorial board ↗Publisher website ·
Main research topics OpenAlex counts of recent articles; shares are approximate
- China's Socioeconomic Reforms and GovernanceSocial Sciences13.6%
- International Relations and Foreign PolicySocial Sciences12.9%
- International Development and AidSocial Sciences12.7%
- Political Conflict and GovernanceSocial Sciences6.6%
- Chinese history and philosophySocial Sciences5.7%
- Populism, Right-Wing MovementsSocial Sciences5.1%
- Global Peace and Security DynamicsSocial Sciences4%
- Hong Kong and Taiwan PoliticsSocial Sciences3.8%
Rankings & indexing
CAS ranking and database indexing
CAS Journal Ranking
CAS Journal Ranking, upgraded edition (March 2025)Sociology Zone 1
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Sociology | Zone 1 |
| Minor | Political Science | Zone 1 |
Top journal: yesReview journal: no
CAS Xinrui Journal Ranking (March 2026)Sociology Zone 1
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Sociology | Zone 1 |
| Minor | Political Science | Zone 2 |
Top journal: yesReview journal: not marked
CAS Journal Ranking, previous upgraded edition (December 2023)Not covered
Not covered by this edition.
Database indexing
ESCIScopusLetPub
International journal early-warning lists: not listed in any editionLetPub
Indexing the journal's website claims
Web of SciencePublisher website
Other: Google Scholar, EBSCO, ProQuest, Dimensions, CNKI, Baidu, Naver, OCLC, Portico, CLOCKSS
As the journal's website lists them, not checked against each database; for Web of Science editions the records above apply.
Editions, and major and minor categories, are shown separately and never merged into one zone; check which edition your institution uses before you submit or report.
Metrics
Impact metrics and publication volume
Impact
- Impact factor (publisher) 2025
- 5.1Publisher website ·
- 5-year impact factor (publisher) 2025
- 2.8Publisher website ·
- CiteScore 2026-06
- 7.3LetPub ·
- CiteScore (publisher)
- 7.3Publisher website ·
- SJR 2026-06
- 0.89LetPub ·
- SNIP 2026-06
- 1.6LetPub ·
- h-index
- 32OpenAlex ·
- i10-index
- 136OpenAlex ·
- 2-year mean citedness
- 5.38OpenAlex ·
- Self-citation rate
- 23.5%LetPub ·
- Share of gold OA articles
- 32.58%LetPub ·
Volume
- Articles per year
- 53LetPub ·
- Downloads per year (publisher) 2025
- 272,400Publisher website ·
Articles by year OpenAlex count · 354 in total · the current year is incomplete
| Year | Articles | Open access | Citations |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 29 | 7 | 50 |
| 2025 | 54 | 23 | 284 |
| 2024 | 24 | 8 | 242 |
| 2023 | 16 | 7 | 164 |
| 2022 | 34 | 19 | 523 |
| 2021 | 30 | 14 | 391 |
Sources count differently and were observed at different times, so each source's own value is kept; "publisher" marks figures from the journal's website.
Review & acceptance
Review time and acceptance
Review time from article dates manuscript dates registered with Crossref · to
121 daysMedian, submission to acceptance · P25–P75 81 days – 187 days
- Acceptance to online
- median 22 days (86 articles)
- Submission to online
- median 151 days
- Sample
- 85 articles with submission and acceptance dates (92 in the window); the latest was accepted on
Only articles that were accepted and published are counted, not the time spent on rejected manuscripts, so this usually runs longer than a publisher's "time to first decision".
Other sources
- Submission to first decision
- 11 daysPublisher website ·
- Peer review
- Double anonymous peer reviewPublisher website
Community reports come from authors' own submissions (confidence 0.5) and are not a promise from the journal; for publisher figures, the journal's own definitions apply.
Fees & open access
APC and open-access policy
Hybrid open accessLetPub
A subscription journal in which authors can pay to publish their article open access.
| Source | APC | Fee waiver | License | Observed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| OpenAlex | USD 3,390 / EUR 2,790 / GBP 2,490 | — | — |
A hybrid journal charges the APC only when the author chooses open access; publishing under the subscription model is usually free.
The journal's website is authoritative for fees; sources were observed at different times and each keeps its own value, without averaging.
Submission
Article types and submission policies (journal website)
What to prepare4 items from the author guidelines
- Abstract
- 150–250 words
- Keywords
- ≥ 4
- Reference style
- Author–date
- Suggested reviewers
- Optional
Article types accepted1
- editorialDouble-blind peer review This journal follows a double-blind reviewing procedure. This means that the author will remain anonymous to the reviewers throughout p…Length not stated
Policy excerpts from the journal's websiteAI use, Authorship, Conflicts of interest, Open access, Peer review
- AI use Generative AI Images
Please check Springer’s policy on generative AI images and make sure your work adheres to the principles described therein. Back to top
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Authorship Authorship principles
These guidelines describe authorship principles and good authorship practices to which prospective authors should adhere to. Authorship clarified The Journal and Publisher assume all authors agreed with the content and that all gave explicit consent to submit and that they obtained consent from the responsible authorities at the institute/organization where the work has been carried out, before th…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Conflicts of interest Competing Interests
Authors are requested to disclose interests that are directly or indirectly related to the work submitted for publication. Interests within the last 3 years of beginning the work (conducting the research and preparing the work for submission) should be reported. Interests outside the 3-year time frame must be disclosed if they could reasonably be perceived as influencing the submitted work. Disclo…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Open access Open access publishing
To find out more about publishing your work Open Access in Chinese Political Science Review, including information on fees, funding and licences, visit our Open access publishing page. Back to top
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Peer review Double-blind peer review
This journal follows a double-blind reviewing procedure. This means that the author will remain anonymous to the reviewers throughout peer review. It is the responsibility of the author to anonymize the manuscript and any associated materials. Author names, affiliations and any other potentially identifying information should be removed from the manuscript text and any accompanying files (such as …
Source ↗Publisher website ·
Excerpts are quoted from the journal's website; "model summary" lines are written by Workers AI and checked against the text. The journal's website is authoritative.
Profile
Publication details and official links
- Publisher
- Springer Nature
- Frequency
- 4 issues per year
- ISSN
- 2365-4244
- Electronic ISSN
- 2365-4252
- Latest issue on the website
- Volume 11, Issue 3 (September 2026)
- Official links
- Journal homepage ↗OpenAlex
- Submission system ↗LetPub
- Author guidelines ↗LetPub
- Special issues ↗Publisher website
FAQ
Frequently asked questions about Chinese Political Science Review
What CAS zone is Chinese Political Science Review in?
In the 2025 upgraded edition of the CAS Journal Ranking, Chinese Political Science Review is in Zone 1 of Sociology, and in Zone 1 of the minor category Political Science; it is a Top journal. In the 2026 Xinrui edition it is in Zone 1 of Sociology. Zones from different editions, and from major and minor categories, are not interchangeable.
What is the impact factor of Chinese Political Science Review?
The journal's website gives an impact factor of 5.1 (2025); this is the journal's own figure, as LetPub lists none for it; CiteScore 7.3, h-index 32.
How long does peer review take at Chinese Political Science Review?
Based on the dates recorded on 85 articles published between October 2024 and October 2026 (the last 24 months), the median time from submission to acceptance is 121 days (interquartile range 81–187 days). Article statistics cover accepted papers only, publisher figures follow the journal's own definitions, and community reports come from authors' own submissions; none is a promise from the journal.
What are the manuscript requirements of Chinese Political Science Review?
According to the journal's author guidelines: Abstract: 150–250 words; Keywords: ≥ 4; Reference style: Author–date; Suggested reviewers: Optional. A model extracted these from the author guidelines and each was checked against the text; check the latest version on the journal's website before submitting.
Where are the editorial board members of Chinese Political Science Review based?
Of the 47 board members whose country the journal's board page names, 31 (about 66%) are in mainland China; the countries named most often are Mainland China (31), United States (10) and Germany (3). Counted from the institutions listed on the board page; for reference only.
Which databases index Chinese Political Science Review?
According to LetPub and DOAJ records, Chinese Political Science Review is indexed in ESCI and Scopus. The journal's website also lists Web of Science; that list has not been checked against each database.
Is Chinese Political Science Review open access, and what is the APC?
Chinese Political Science Review is a hybrid journal. For open-access publication: APC about USD 3,390.
Sources and updates
The facts on this page come from LetPub, OpenAlex, Publisher website; every figure is tagged with its source and the date it was observed, and conflicting values are kept per source. LetPub source page: view ↗ (archived 2026-08-25). Last updated: .