About the Journal

Focus and Scope

Monções: Journal of International Relations is an online journal that aims to contribute to the development of International Relations and related fields through the publication of original research articles submitted by graduate students and scholars holding postgraduate degrees.

The journal publishes two issues per year, featuring thematic dossiers, miscellaneous articles, book reviews, interviews, and translations. Submissions are accepted in Portuguese, English, and Spanish. Monções is intended for faculty, students, and researchers across the Social Sciences with interests in areas such as International Politics, International Relations Theory, International Security, Foreign Policy, Regional Integration, International Political Economy, History of International Relations, International Organizations, and Human Rights.

 

Peer Review Process

All articles and book reviews published in Monções undergo double-blind peer review. The editorial team is committed to ensuring a timely evaluation process; however, authors should note that review timelines depend largely on the availability of reviewers. The average time between submission and the first editorial decision is approximately 120 days.

 

Review Process Stages

Technical screening and plagiarism/self-plagiarism check: At this stage, submissions are assessed for compliance with the journal’s guidelines (file format, anonymization, word count, and inclusion of titles and abstracts in all required languages). Manuscripts are also screened using software to detect plagiarism, self-plagiarism, and AI-generated content.

Editorial screening: The assigned editor evaluates whether the manuscript falls within the journal’s scope and meets minimum editorial quality standards.

Double-blind peer review: If deemed suitable, the manuscript is sent to at least two reviewers (and, in the case of book reviews, at least one reviewer). The process is fully anonymized: reviewers do not know the identity of the author(s), and vice versa. Reviewers are selected based on their recognized academic expertise in the manuscript’s subject area. Based on the reports, the handling editor will issue one of the following decisions:
a) accept;
b) reject;
c) major/minor revisions required;
d) resubmit for review.

Author revisions: In cases requiring revisions or resubmission, the manuscript undergoes a new round of evaluation. Authors must submit a revised version, which may or may not be returned to the original reviewers. Important: this stage also follows the double-blind procedure; revised manuscripts and response letters must preserve author anonymity.