Journal profile · Multiple
International Theory
ISSN 1752-9719 · eISSN 1752-9727 · Cambridge University Press
International Theory: CAS Zone 2 · Sociology (2025 upgraded edition); impact factor 2.85; fully open access; APC about USD 3,655; 23 articles in 2025; indexed in SSCI and Scopus.
Scope
Aims, scope and focus
International Theory is published by Cambridge University Press and is in Zone 2 of Sociology in the CAS Journal Ranking (2025 upgraded edition). By OpenAlex counts of its recent articles, its largest topics are International Relations and Foreign Policy, Global Peace and Security Dynamics and Diverse Scientific and Economic Studies, together about 35.1% of its articles. Its main subfields are Political Science and International Relations. (generated from OpenAlex topic counts and CAS ranking data)
International Theory is a peer-reviewed journal that publishes innovative theoretical scholarship about problems of world politics, broadly understood. The journal has three pillars: (1) explanatory, interpretive, or critical theory; (2) normative theory; and (3) international legal theory. We welcome submissions of each kind, or that cross categories. We also welcome submissions that advance our understanding of the history of the development of ideas in the study of any aspect of international politics.While International Theory welcomes scholarship that uses empirics to advance theoretical arguments, articles whose primary focus is empirical do not fall within the journal’s remit. Nor do articles that concern only a specific country or region; that are better suited to comparative politics journals; or whose primary goal is policy advocacy or foreign policy analysis.International Theory aims to promote communication and engagement across theoretical and disciplinary traditions. Accordingly, it puts a premium on contributors’ ability to reach as broad an audience as possible, both in the questions they engage and in their accessibility to scholars with diverse theoretical commitments or methodological approaches. While the journal is open to work that is situated within one scholarly tradition, it encourages authors to reflect on how their research relates to other work in the field more broadly.
From the journal's Aims & Scope
Research area (LetPub): Multiple
Editor-in-chief David WelchPublisher website
Main research topics OpenAlex counts of recent articles; shares are approximate
- International Relations and Foreign PolicySocial Sciences14.9%
- Global Peace and Security DynamicsSocial Sciences11.7%
- Diverse Scientific and Economic StudiesEconomics, Econometrics and Finance8.5%
- Political Philosophy and EthicsSocial Sciences7.1%
- Earthquake and Disaster Impact StudiesSocial Sciences6.6%
- International Development and AidSocial Sciences5.8%
- Political Conflict and GovernanceSocial Sciences5.1%
- International Law and Human RightsSocial Sciences4.9%
Rankings & indexing
CAS ranking and database indexing
CAS Journal Ranking
CAS Journal Ranking, upgraded edition (March 2025)Sociology Zone 2
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Sociology | Zone 2 |
| Minor | International Relations | Zone 3 |
| Minor | Political Science | Zone 3 |
Top journal: noReview journal: no
CAS Xinrui Journal Ranking (March 2026)Sociology Zone 1
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Sociology | Zone 1 |
| Minor | International Relations | Zone 1 |
| Minor | Political Science | Zone 1 |
Top journal: yesReview journal: not marked
CAS Journal Ranking, previous upgraded edition (December 2023)Sociology Zone 1
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Sociology | Zone 1 |
| Minor | International Relations | Zone 2 |
| Minor | Political Science | Zone 2 |
Top journal: noReview journal: no
Database indexing
SSCIScopusDOAJLetPub
International journal early-warning lists: not listed in any editionLetPub
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
- 2.85LetPub ·
- Impact factor (publisher) 2025
- 29Publisher website ·
- CiteScore 2026-06
- 5.4LetPub ·
- SJR 2026-06
- 1.16LetPub ·
- SNIP 2026-06
- 1.82LetPub ·
- h-index
- 66OpenAlex ·
- i10-index
- 266OpenAlex ·
- 2-year mean citedness
- 1.82OpenAlex ·
- Self-citation rate
- 16.7%LetPub ·
- Share of gold OA articles
- 90.91%LetPub ·
Volume
- Articles per year
- 22LetPub ·
Articles by year OpenAlex count · 529 in total · the current year is incomplete
| Year | Articles | Open access | Citations |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 19 | 19 | 2 |
| 2025 | 23 | 23 | 53 |
| 2024 | 13 | 13 | 45 |
| 2023 | 22 | 20 | 301 |
| 2022 | 21 | 16 | 132 |
| 2021 | 17 | 9 | 194 |
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
- Submission to publication (journal-reported)
- about 56 weeksDOAJ ·
- Peer review
- Double anonymous peer reviewDOAJ
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
Fully open accessDOAJ
Every article is open access; authors usually pay an article processing charge (APC).
| Source | APC | Fee waiver | License | Observed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DOAJ | USD 3,655 / GBP 2,610 | Yes | CC BY, CC BY-SA, CC BY-ND, CC BY-NC, CC BY-NC-SA, CC BY-NC-ND | |
| OpenAlex | USD 3,550 / GBP 2,460 | — | — | |
| Publisher website | Yes, amount not published | — | — |
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 accepted1
- research articleThe journal accepts the following types of article: Research Article*Symposium Article*Reply**Rejoinder** For more information on International Theory symposia,…Length not stated
Policy excerpts from the journal's websitePeer review
- Peer review Peer Review Process
For information on the journal’s peer review process, please click here.
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
- Cambridge University Press
- ISSN
- 1752-9719
- Electronic ISSN
- 1752-9727
- Official links
- Journal homepage ↗DOAJ
- Submission system ↗Publisher website
- Author guidelines ↗DOAJ
- Aims & Scope ↗DOAJ
- APC information ↗DOAJ
- Fee waivers ↗DOAJ
- Open access statement ↗DOAJ
- License & copyright ↗DOAJ
- Peer review process ↗DOAJ
- Editorial board ↗DOAJ
- Plagiarism policy ↗DOAJ
FAQ
Frequently asked questions about International Theory
What CAS zone is International Theory in?
In the 2025 upgraded edition of the CAS Journal Ranking, International Theory is in Zone 2 of Sociology, and in Zone 3 of the minor category International Relations / Political Science. 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 International Theory?
The latest impact factor listed by LetPub is 2.85; CiteScore 5.4, h-index 66.
Which databases index International Theory?
According to LetPub and DOAJ records, International Theory is indexed in SSCI, Scopus and DOAJ.
Is International Theory open access, and what is the APC?
International Theory is a fully open-access journal. APC about USD 3,655.
Sources and updates
The facts on this page come from LetPub, OpenAlex, DOAJ, 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: .