Journal profile · Multiple
Journal of Policy History
ISSN 0898-0306 · eISSN 1528-4190 · Cambridge University Press
Journal of Policy History: CAS Zone 4 · History (2025 upgraded edition); impact factor 0.5; hybrid open access; APC about USD 3,550; 21 articles in 2025; indexed in SSCI, AHCI and Scopus.
Scope
Aims, scope and focus
Journal of Policy History is published by Cambridge University Press and is in Zone 4 of History in the CAS Journal Ranking (2025 upgraded edition). By OpenAlex counts of its recent articles, its largest topics are Diverse Scientific and Economic Studies, Legal case studies and regulations and American Constitutional Law and Politics, together about 44.1% of its articles. Its main subfields are Political Science and International Relations. (generated from OpenAlex topic counts and CAS ranking data)
The Journal of Policy History is an interdisciplinary journal concerned with the application of historical perspectives to public policy studies. While seeking to inform scholars interested in policy history, the journal also seeks to inform policy makers through a historical approach to public policy. Its authors, considering public policy primarily in the United States though also in other nations, focus on policy origins and development through historical inquiry, historical analysis of specific policy areas and policy institutions, explorations of continuities and shifts in policy over time, interdisciplinary research into public policy, and comparative historical approaches to the development of public policy.
From the journal's Aims & Scope
Research area (LetPub): Multiple
Editorial board by country: none in mainland China; most named United States 29, United Kingdom 1, Canada 1 (31 members with a country) Editorial board ↗Publisher website ·
Main research topics OpenAlex counts of recent articles; shares are approximate
- Diverse Scientific and Economic StudiesEconomics, Econometrics and Finance19.3%
- Legal case studies and regulationsSocial Sciences15.7%
- American Constitutional Law and PoliticsSocial Sciences9.1%
- American History and CultureBusiness, Management and Accounting6.7%
- Human auditory perception and evaluationEngineering6.1%
- Race, History, and American SocietySocial Sciences6%
- Political and Economic history of UK and USSocial Sciences5%
- Social Policy and Reform StudiesSocial Sciences3.9%
Rankings & indexing
CAS ranking and database indexing
CAS Journal Ranking
CAS Journal Ranking, upgraded edition (March 2025)History Zone 4
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | History | Zone 4 |
| Minor | History | Zone 4 |
| Minor | Political Science | Zone 4 |
Top journal: noReview journal: no
CAS Xinrui Journal Ranking (March 2026)History Zone 3
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | History | Zone 3 |
| Minor | History | Zone 3 |
| Minor | Political Science | Zone 4 |
Top journal: noReview journal: not marked
CAS Journal Ranking, previous upgraded edition (December 2023)History Zone 4
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | History | Zone 4 |
| Minor | History | Zone 4 |
| Minor | Political Science | Zone 4 |
Top journal: noReview journal: no
Database indexing
SSCIAHCIScopusLetPub
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
- 0.5LetPub ·
- CiteScore 2026-06
- 0.9LetPub ·
- SJR 2026-06
- 0.21LetPub ·
- SNIP 2026-06
- 0.61LetPub ·
- h-index
- 35OpenAlex ·
- i10-index
- 192OpenAlex ·
- 2-year mean citedness
- 0.51OpenAlex ·
- Self-citation rate
- 0%LetPub ·
- Share of gold OA articles
- 50%LetPub ·
Volume
- Articles per year
- 16LetPub ·
Articles by year OpenAlex count · 1,357 in total · the current year is incomplete
| Year | Articles | Open access | Citations |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 21 | 18 | 1 |
| 2025 | 21 | 17 | 10 |
| 2024 | 15 | 10 | 18 |
| 2023 | 28 | 18 | 49 |
| 2022 | 36 | 11 | 81 |
| 2021 | 26 | 7 | 22 |
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.
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 3,550 / GBP 2,460 | — | — | |
| 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 accepted4
- articlesArticles*Length not stated
- book forumsBook ForumsLength not stated
- critical perspectivesCritical Perspectives*Length not stated
- perspectiveJournal of Policy History publishes the following article types: Articles* Critical Perspectives* Book ForumsLength not stated
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
- 0898-0306
- Electronic ISSN
- 1528-4190
- Official links
- Journal homepage ↗OpenAlex
- Submission system ↗Publisher website
FAQ
Frequently asked questions about Journal of Policy History
What CAS zone is Journal of Policy History in?
In the 2025 upgraded edition of the CAS Journal Ranking, Journal of Policy History is in Zone 4 of History, and in Zone 4 of the minor category History / Political Science. In the 2026 Xinrui edition it is in Zone 3 of History. Zones from different editions, and from major and minor categories, are not interchangeable.
What is the impact factor of Journal of Policy History?
The latest impact factor listed by LetPub is 0.5; CiteScore 0.9, h-index 35.
Where are the editorial board members of Journal of Policy History based?
Of the 31 board members whose country the journal's board page names, none are in mainland China; the countries named most often are United States (29), United Kingdom (1) and Canada (1). Counted from the institutions listed on the board page; for reference only.
Which databases index Journal of Policy History?
According to LetPub and DOAJ records, Journal of Policy History is indexed in SSCI, AHCI and Scopus.
Is Journal of Policy History open access, and what is the APC?
Journal of Policy History is a hybrid journal. For open-access publication: APC about USD 3,550.
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: .