Journal profile · LAW
Hague Journal on the Rule of Law
ISSN 1876-4045 · eISSN 1876-4053 · Springer Nature · 3 issues per year
Hague Journal on the Rule of Law: CAS Zone 1 · Sociology (2025 upgraded edition, Top journal); impact factor 1.45; hybrid open access; APC about USD 2,590; median 124 days to acceptance (21 articles, last 24 months); 21 articles in 2025; indexed in SSCI and Scopus.
Scope
Aims, scope and focus
Hague Journal on the Rule of Law 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 Judicial and Constitutional Studies, European and International Law Studies and International Law and Human Rights, together about 46.4% of its articles. Its main subfields are Political Science and International Relations. (generated from OpenAlex topic counts and CAS ranking data)
The Hague Journal on the Rule of Law (HJRL) is a multidisciplinary journal that aims to deepen and broaden our knowledge and understanding about the rule of law. Its main areas of interest are: current developments in rule of law in domestic, transnational and international contextstheoretical issues related to the conceptualization and implementation of the rule of law in domestic and international contexts;the relation between the rule of law and economic development, democratization and human rights protection;historical analysis of rule of law;significant trends and initiatives in rule of law promotion (practitioner notes).The HJRL is supported by HiiL Innovating Justice, The Hague, the Netherlands and the Paul Scholten Center for Jurisprudence at the Law School of the University of Amsterdam, the Netherlands.Editorial PolicyThe HJRL welcomes contributions from academics and practitioners with expertise in any relevant field, including law, anthropology, economics, history, philosophy, political science and sociology. It publishes two categories of articles: papers (appr. 6,000-10,000 words) and notes (appr. 2500 words). Papers are accepted on the basis of double blind peer-review. Notes are accepted on the basis of review by two or more editors of the journal. Manuscripts submitted to the HJRL must not be under consideration for publication elsewhere. Acceptance of the Editorial Board’s offer to publish, implies that the author agrees to an embargo on publication elsewhere for a period of two years following the date of publication in the HJRL.
From the journal's Aims & Scope
Research area (LetPub): LAW
Editor-in-chief Ronald JansePublisher website
Editorial board by country: none in mainland China; most named Australia 5, Netherlands 5, United States 4, United Kingdom 4, Germany 2 (28 members with a country) Editorial board ↗Publisher website ·
Main research topics OpenAlex counts of recent articles; shares are approximate
- Judicial and Constitutional StudiesSocial Sciences20.8%
- European and International Law StudiesSocial Sciences14.6%
- International Law and Human RightsSocial Sciences11%
- Human Rights and DevelopmentSocial Sciences5.6%
- European Criminal Justice and Data ProtectionSocial Sciences5.1%
- International Law and AviationSocial Sciences4.3%
- International Arbitration and Investment LawBusiness, Management and Accounting3.5%
- European Union Policy and GovernanceSocial Sciences3.3%
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 | Law | Zone 1 |
Top journal: yesReview journal: no
CAS Xinrui Journal Ranking (March 2026)Sociology Zone 1
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Sociology | Zone 1 |
| Minor | Law | Zone 1 |
Top journal: yesReview journal: not marked
CAS Journal Ranking, previous upgraded edition (December 2023)Sociology Zone 2
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Sociology | Zone 2 |
| Minor | Law | Zone 2 |
Top journal: noReview journal: no
Database indexing
SSCIScopusLetPub
International journal early-warning lists: not listed in any editionLetPub
Indexing the journal's website claims
SCIECurrent ContentsPublisher 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
- 1.45LetPub ·
- Impact factor (publisher) 2025
- 1.6Publisher website ·
- 5-year impact factor (publisher) 2025
- 2.2Publisher website ·
- CiteScore 2026-06
- 4.7LetPub ·
- SJR 2026-06
- 0.91LetPub ·
- SNIP 2026-06
- 1.75LetPub ·
- h-index
- 40OpenAlex ·
- i10-index
- 132OpenAlex ·
- 2-year mean citedness
- 2.19OpenAlex ·
- Self-citation rate
- 18.8%LetPub ·
- Share of gold OA articles
- 77.94%LetPub ·
Volume
- Articles per year
- 19LetPub ·
- Articles per year (publisher)
- 2,025Publisher website ·
- Downloads per year (publisher) 2025
- 245,000Publisher website ·
Articles by year OpenAlex count · 406 in total · the current year is incomplete
| Year | Articles | Open access | Citations |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 15 | 12 | 1 |
| 2025 | 21 | 15 | 34 |
| 2024 | 39 | 32 | 129 |
| 2023 | 13 | 12 | 102 |
| 2022 | 22 | 19 | 351 |
| 2021 | 17 | 13 | 361 |
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
124 daysMedian, submission to acceptance · P25–P75 53 days – 197 days
- Acceptance to online
- median 17 days (35 articles)
- Submission to online
- median 153 days
- Sample
- 21 articles with submission and acceptance dates (36 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
- 15 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 2,590 / EUR 3,590 | — | — |
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, with length limits
- 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…main text ≤ 6,000 words
Policy excerpts from the journal's websiteAI use, Authorship, Conflicts of interest, Data availability, Publication ethics, License & copyright, 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 ·- Data availability Data availability statements
Research data should be archived in data repositories where possible. Model summary
All original research must include a data availability statement. This statement should explain how to access data supporting the results and analysis in the article, including links/citations to publicly archived datasets analysed or generated during the study. Please see our full policy here. If it is not possible to share research data publicly, for instance when individual privacy could be com…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Publication ethics
Competing interests disclosure required. Model summary
Authors are required to disclose financial or non-financial interests that are directly or indirectly related to the work submitted for publication.
Source ↗Publisher website ·- License & copyright Copyright
Open Choice articles do not require transfer of copyright as the copyright remains with the author. In opting for open access, the author(s) agree to publish the article under a Creative Commons license. Details of the OA licences offered to authors can be found on the individual journal website, in the journal's How to publish with us guide. Back to top
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Open access Open access publishing
To find out more about publishing your work Open Access in Hague Journal on the Rule of Law, 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
Double-blind peer review; authors must anonymize manuscripts and submit a separate title page. Model summary
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
- 3 issues per year
- ISSN
- 1876-4045
- Electronic ISSN
- 1876-4053
- Latest issue on the website
- Volume 17, Issue 3 (December 2025)
- Official links
- Journal homepage ↗OpenAlex
- Submission system ↗Publisher website
- Author guidelines ↗LetPub
FAQ
Frequently asked questions about Hague Journal on the Rule of Law
What CAS zone is Hague Journal on the Rule of Law in?
In the 2025 upgraded edition of the CAS Journal Ranking, Hague Journal on the Rule of Law is in Zone 1 of Sociology, and in Zone 1 of the minor category Law; 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 Hague Journal on the Rule of Law?
The latest impact factor listed by LetPub is 1.45; CiteScore 4.7, h-index 40.
How long does peer review take at Hague Journal on the Rule of Law?
Based on the dates recorded on 21 articles published between October 2024 and October 2026 (the last 24 months), the median time from submission to acceptance is 124 days (interquartile range 53–197 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 Hague Journal on the Rule of Law?
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 Hague Journal on the Rule of Law based?
Of the 28 board members whose country the journal's board page names, none are in mainland China; the countries named most often are Australia (5), Netherlands (5) and United States (4). Counted from the institutions listed on the board page; for reference only.
Which databases index Hague Journal on the Rule of Law?
According to LetPub and DOAJ records, Hague Journal on the Rule of Law is indexed in SSCI and Scopus. The journal's website also lists SCIE and Current Contents; that list has not been checked against each database.
Is Hague Journal on the Rule of Law open access, and what is the APC?
Hague Journal on the Rule of Law is a hybrid journal. For open-access publication: APC about USD 2,590.
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 2026-08-26). Last updated: .