Journal profile · LAW
International Journal of Human Rights
ISSN 1364-2987 · eISSN 1744-053X · Taylor & Francis
International Journal of Human Rights: CAS Zone 3 · Sociology (2025 upgraded edition); impact factor 1.59; JCR Q1 (journal website); hybrid open access; APC charged, amount not published; median 292 days to acceptance (99 articles, last 24 months); acceptance rate 34% (journal website); 99 articles in 2025; indexed in SSCI and Scopus.
Scope
Aims, scope and focus
International Journal of Human Rights is published by Taylor & Francis and is in Zone 3 of Sociology in the CAS Journal Ranking (2025 upgraded edition). By OpenAlex counts of its recent articles, its largest topics are International Law and Human Rights, Human Rights and Development and Global Peace and Security Dynamics, together about 40.7% 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)
The International Journal of Human Rights covers an exceptionally broad spectrum of human rights issues: human rights and the law, race, religion, gender, children, class, refugees and immigration. In addition to these general areas, the journal publishes articles and reports on the human rights aspects of genocide, torture, capital punishment and the laws of war and war crimes. To encourage debate, the editors publish Forum pieces and discussion papers from authoritative writers in the field. They also welcome comments, reflections, thematic essays and review articles and critical surveys of the literature. The journal is essential reading for academics and students of political science and international law, officers in relevant NGOs, lawyers, politicians and civil servants, human rights activists, and the interested general public. Peer Review All primary research articles in this journal have undergone rigorous peer review, based on initial editor screening and double anonymized peer review by anonymous expert referees. Review articles, comment pieces, and reports are assessed by the journal’s editors. Human Rights Researchers Network IJHR is affiliated with the Human Rights Researchers Network. Launched in December 2014, the HRRN aims to be a representative group for individuals working across the field, from researchers to practitioners, activists to policy-makers. An annual subscription to the IJHR is one of the benefits available to members. To learn more about the HRRN and sign-up please click here. "In the face of growing attacks on human rights in many countries, the risks faced by people who defend their universality have intensified. Human rights defenders increasingly face criminalization, persecution, arbitrary arrest and detention. They are threatened, physically attacked and assassinated. As we mark the 17th anniversary of the UN Declaration on Human Rights Defenders we should ask ourselves what more must be done to better protect defenders and promote their work. I welcome this Special Issue of the International Journal of Human Rights. It compels us to confront these challenges and to discuss critical questions, both among scholars and practitioners. Our next common goal is to translate this research into practical tools to strengthen the protection regime for human rights defenders." - Mr. Michel Forst, the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders, in response to Volume 19, Issue 7, Special Issue: "Critical perspectives on the se
From the journal's Aims & Scope
Research area (LetPub): LAW
Editor-in-chief Damien ShortPublisher website
Editorial board by country: none in mainland China; most named United Kingdom 7, South Africa 1 (8 members with a country) Editorial board ↗Publisher website ·
Main research topics OpenAlex counts of recent articles; shares are approximate
- International Law and Human RightsSocial Sciences16%
- Human Rights and DevelopmentSocial Sciences15%
- Global Peace and Security DynamicsSocial Sciences9.7%
- European and International Law StudiesSocial Sciences7.4%
- Historical and Contemporary Political DynamicsArts and Humanities7.1%
- Peacebuilding and International SecuritySocial Sciences3.5%
- Torture, Ethics, and LawSocial Sciences3.4%
- European Criminal Justice and Data ProtectionSocial Sciences3.2%
Rankings & indexing
CAS ranking and database indexing
CAS Journal Ranking
CAS Journal Ranking, upgraded edition (March 2025)Sociology Zone 3
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Sociology | Zone 3 |
| Minor | Law | Zone 3 |
Top journal: noReview journal: no
CAS Xinrui Journal Ranking (March 2026)Sociology Zone 3
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Sociology | Zone 3 |
| Minor | Law | Zone 2 |
Top journal: noReview journal: not marked
CAS Journal Ranking, previous upgraded edition (December 2023)Sociology Zone 3
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Sociology | Zone 3 |
| Minor | Law | Zone 3 |
Top journal: noReview journal: no
JCR / CiteScore quartiles on the journal's website
- JCR Q1 · best quartile · 2025
- CiteScore Q1 · 2025
Publisher-reported: JCR figures are Clarivate's and CiteScore figures Scopus's to confirm; both are a different system from the CAS zones.Publisher website
Database indexing
SSCIScopusLetPub
International journal early-warning lists: not listed in any editionLetPub
Indexing the journal's website claims
Web of SciencePublisher website
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
- 1.59LetPub ·
- Impact factor (publisher) 2025
- 1.6Publisher website ·
- 5-year impact factor (publisher) 2025
- 2Publisher website ·
- CiteScore 2026-06
- 3.8LetPub ·
- CiteScore (publisher) 2025
- 3.8Publisher website ·
- SJR 2026-06
- 0.63LetPub ·
- SJR (publisher) 2025
- 0.63Publisher website ·
- SNIP 2026-06
- 2.1LetPub ·
- SNIP (publisher) 2025
- 2.1Publisher website ·
- h-index
- 63OpenAlex ·
- i10-index
- 612OpenAlex ·
- 2-year mean citedness
- 1.82OpenAlex ·
- Self-citation rate
- 6.2%LetPub ·
- Share of gold OA articles
- 25.82%LetPub ·
Volume
- Articles per year
- 97LetPub ·
- Downloads per year (publisher)
- 553,000Publisher website ·
Articles by year OpenAlex count · 1,949 in total · the current year is incomplete
| Year | Articles | Open access | Citations |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 92 | 38 | 13 |
| 2025 | 99 | 58 | 109 |
| 2024 | 89 | 56 | 388 |
| 2023 | 60 | 29 | 377 |
| 2022 | 82 | 41 | 672 |
| 2021 | 83 | 26 | 988 |
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
292 daysMedian, submission to acceptance · P25–P75 212 days – 365 days
- Acceptance to online
- median 16 days (99 articles)
- Submission to online
- median 308 days
- Sample
- 99 articles with submission and acceptance dates (229 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
- Acceptance rate (publisher)
- 34%Publisher website ·
- Submission to first decision
- 110 daysPublisher website ·
- First decision after review
- 168 daysPublisher website ·
- Acceptance to publication
- 21 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Publisher website | Yes, amount not published | — | — |
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)
Article types accepted7
- commentsThey also welcome comments, reflections, thematic essays and review articles and critical surveys of the literature.Length not stated
- critical surveys of the literatureThey also welcome comments, reflections, thematic essays and review articles and critical surveys of the literature.Length not stated
- discussion papersTo encourage debate, the editors publish Forum pieces and discussion papers from authoritative writers in the field.Length not stated
- forum piecesTo encourage debate, the editors publish Forum pieces and discussion papers from authoritative writers in the field.Length not stated
- reflectionsThey also welcome comments, reflections, thematic essays and review articles and critical surveys of the literature.Length not stated
- review articlesThey also welcome comments, reflections, thematic essays and review articles and critical surveys of the literature.Length not stated
- thematic essaysThey also welcome comments, reflections, thematic essays and review articles and critical surveys of the literature.Length not stated
Policy excerpts from the journal's websiteOpen access, Peer review
- Open access Open access
The International Journal of Human Rights is a hybrid open access journal that is part of the Taylor & Francis Open Select publishing program, giving you the option to publish open access. Publishing open access means that your article will be free to access online immediately on publication, increasing the visibility, readership, and impact of your research. Why choose open access? Increase the d…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Peer review
All primary research articles have undergone rigorous peer review, based on initial editor screening and double anonymized peer review by anonymous expert referees. Model summary
All primary research articles in this journal have undergone rigorous peer review, based on initial editor screening and double anonymized peer review by anonymous expert referees.
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
- Taylor & Francis
- ISSN
- 1364-2987
- Electronic ISSN
- 1744-053X
- Latest issue on the website
- Volume 30, Issue 7 (2026)
- Official links
- Journal homepage ↗OpenAlex
- Submission system ↗Publisher website
- Special issues ↗Publisher website
FAQ
Frequently asked questions about International Journal of Human Rights
What CAS zone is International Journal of Human Rights in?
In the 2025 upgraded edition of the CAS Journal Ranking, International Journal of Human Rights is in Zone 3 of Sociology, and in Zone 3 of the minor category Law. In the 2026 Xinrui edition it is in Zone 3 of Sociology. Zones from different editions, and from major and minor categories, are not interchangeable.
What is the impact factor of International Journal of Human Rights?
The latest impact factor listed by LetPub is 1.59; CiteScore 3.8, h-index 63.
How long does peer review take at International Journal of Human Rights?
Based on the dates recorded on 99 articles published between October 2024 and October 2026 (the last 24 months), the median time from submission to acceptance is 292 days (interquartile range 212–365 days); the journal's website gives an acceptance rate of 34%. 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 JCR quartile is International Journal of Human Rights in?
The journal's website gives JCR Q1 (best quartile). JCR quartiles are Clarivate's to confirm and a different system from the CAS zones; in the CAS ranking the journal is in Zone 3 of Sociology.
Where are the editorial board members of International Journal of Human Rights based?
Of the 8 board members whose country the journal's board page names, none are in mainland China; the countries named most often are United Kingdom (7) and South Africa (1). Counted from the institutions listed on the board page; for reference only.
Which databases index International Journal of Human Rights?
According to LetPub and DOAJ records, International Journal of Human Rights is indexed in SSCI and Scopus. The journal's website also lists Web of Science; that list has not been checked against each database.
Is International Journal of Human Rights open access, and what is the APC?
International Journal of Human Rights is a hybrid journal. For open-access publication: APC charged, amount not published.
Sources and updates
The facts on this page come from LetPub, Publisher website, OpenAlex; 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: .