World's Best Scientists 2026 revealed!
Political Theory
H-index 2

Political Theory

0090-5917

Published by: SAGE

https://journals.sagepub.com/home/ptx

Ranking & Metrics

Discipline name Position Best Scientists Publications D-Index
Political Science 343 4 4 2

Additional Metrics

Number of Best Scientists*: 6
Documents by Best Scientists*: 6
Top 100 Ranked Scientists*: 1
SCIMAGO H-index: 73
SCIMAGO SJR: 0.712
Impact Factor: 1

Overview

Top Research Topics at Political Theory?

The main research concerns discussed in the journal are Politics, Law, Epistemology, Political philosophy and Democracy. The journal facilitates discussions on Politics that incorporate concepts from other fields like Aesthetics, Political economy, Environmental ethics, Social science and Religious studies. The Law study tackled is a key component of adjacent topics in the area of Law and economics.

  • Politics (33.36%)
  • Law (20.07%)
  • Epistemology (17.89%)

What are the most cited papers published in the journal?

  • Human Functioning and Social Justice: In Defense of Aristotelian Essentialism (704 citations)
  • American Nightmare Neoliberalism, Neoconservatism, and De-Democratization (614 citations)
  • On Legitimacy and Political Deliberation (583 citations)

Research areas of the most cited articles at Political Theory:

The journal articles mainly tackle studies in Politics, Law, Epistemology, Democracy and Political philosophy. The journal publications address concerns in Politics which are intertwined with other disciplines, such as Social science and State (polity). The most cited publications facilitate discussions on Law that incorporate concepts from other fields like Environmental ethics and Rhetoric.

What topics the last edition of the journal is best known for?

  • Law
  • World War II
  • Politics

The previous edition focused in particular on these issues:

Political Theory focuses largely on the fields of Politics, Democracy, Political philosophy, Law and economics and Political economy. The majority of Politics studies presented zero in on Emancipation. The discussions emphasized the topic of Democracy in an attempt to further explore the field of Law.

The Political philosophy works featured in it incorporate elements from Epistemology, Humanism and Power (social and political). The concepts on Law and economics presented in it can also apply to other research fields, including Economic Justice, Rule of law, Liberalism and Popular sovereignty. The work on Political economy tackled in it brings together disciplines like Sovereignty and Deliberative democracy.

The most cited articles from the last journal are:

  • Justification Crisis: Brexit, Trump, and Deliberative Breakdown: (2 citations)
  • The Political Theory of Data: Institutions, Algorithms, & Formats in Racial Redlining: (1 citations)
  • Whither Confucian Democracy Studies (1 citations)

Papers citation over time

A key indicator for each journal is its effectiveness in reaching other researchers with the papers published at that venue.

The chart below presents the interquartile range (first quartile 25%, median 50% and third quartile 75%) of the number of citations of articles over time.

The top authors publishing in Political Theory (based on the number of publications) are:

  • Stephen White (18 papers) published 1 paper at the last edition,
  • Patrick Riley (13 papers) absent at the last edition,
  • Arlene W. Saxonhouse (11 papers) absent at the last edition,
  • Linda M. G. Zerilli (11 papers) absent at the last edition,
  • William E. Connolly (11 papers) absent at the last edition.

The overall trend for top authors publishing in this journal is outlined below. The chart shows the number of publications at each edition of the journal for top authors.

Only papers with recognized affiliations are considered

The top affiliations publishing in Political Theory (based on the number of publications) are:

  • University of Chicago (22 papers) published 1 paper at the last edition the same number as at the previous edition,
  • University of Toronto (16 papers) published 1 paper at the last edition,
  • Harvard University (16 papers) published 1 paper at the last edition the same number as at the previous edition,
  • McGill University (14 papers) published 3 papers at the last edition,
  • Yale University (14 papers) published 2 papers at the last edition.

The overall trend for top affiliations publishing in this journal is outlined below. The chart shows the number of publications at each edition of the journal for top affiliations.

Publication chance based on affiliation

The publication chance index shows the ratio of articles published by the best research institutions in the journal edition to all articles published within that journal. The best research institutions were selected based on the largest number of articles published during all editions of the journal.

The chart below presents the percentage ratio of articles from top institutions (based on their ranking of total papers).Top affiliations were grouped by their rank into the following tiers: top 1-10, top 11-20, top 21-50, and top 51+. Only articles with a recognized affiliation are considered.

During the most recent 2021 edition, 11.76% of publications had an unrecognized affiliation. Out of the publications with recognized affiliations, 17.33% were posted by at least one author from the top 10 institutions publishing in the journal. Another 12.00% included authors affiliated with research institutions from the top 11-20 affiliations. Institutions from the 21-50 range included 21.33% of all publications and 49.33% were from other institutions.

Returning Authors Index

A very common phenomenon observed among researchers publishing scientific articles is the intentional selection of journals they have already attended in the past. In particular, it is worth analyzing the case when the authors participate in the same journal from year to year.

The Returning Authors Index presented below illustrates the ratio of authors who participated in both a given as well as the previous edition of the journal in relation to all participants in a given year.

Returning Institution Index

The graph below shows the Returning Institution Index, illustrating the ratio of institutions that participated in both a given and the previous edition of the conference in relation to all affiliations present in a given year.

The experience to innovation index

Our experience to innovation index was created to show a cross-section of the experience level of authors publishing in a journal. The index includes the authors publishing at the last edition of a journal, grouped by total number of publications throughout their academic career (P) and the total number of citations of these publications ever received (C).

The group intervals were selected empirically to best show the diversity of the authors' experiences, their labels were selected as a convenience, not as judgment. The authors were divided into the following groups:

  • Novice - P < 5 or C < 25 (the number of publications less than 5 or the number of citations less than 25),
  • Competent - P < 10 or C < 100 (the number of publications less than 10 or the number of citations less than 100),
  • Experienced - P < 25 or C < 625 (the number of publications less than 25 or the number of citations less than 625),
  • Master - P < 50 or C < 2500 (the number of publications less than 50 or the number of citations less than 2500),
  • Star - P ≥ 50 and C ≥ 2500 (both the number of publications greater than 50 and the number of citations greater than 2500).

The chart below illustrates experience levels of first authors in cases of publications with multiple authors.

How to Submit Research Papers to the Journal

Considering a career as a scholar or just passionate about political theory and interested in publishing your research in the journal? Let us guide you through the process of how to submit your research paper.

To publish your research in the journal, first, the manuscript should align with the journal's focus and scope, which mainly deals with topics in political theory such as politics, law, and epistemology. The initial submission is made through the journal's online submission portal. The paper will then undergo a review and revision process before it can be accepted for publication.

If you are a budding researcher or an academic, it can be particularly helpful to gain experience in the real-world application of your subject. One example is to follow an occupation related to your field, such as being a librarian. In being a librarian, one does not only take care of books, but also conducts research and organizes information. Learn about it from this comprehensive guide on how to become a librarian in Nevada.

Creating an original and comprehensive manuscript that provides valuable insights into the political theory realm can be a challenging but rewarding experience. As a scholar, having your research published in a respected journal can significantly impact your career and academic standing. Take the first step towards expanding our understanding of politics and society by submitting your research to the journal today.

Top Publications

  • A Political Theory for a Multispecies, Climate-Challenged World: 2050

    (2023)
    24 Citations
  • Whither Confucian Democracy Studies

    Baogang He

    (2021)
    2 Citations
  • The Inheritance of Loss: Symposium on Jeffrey K. Tulis and Nicole Mellow, Legacies of Losing in American Politics, University of Chicago Press, 2018:

    Bryan Garsten;Jennifer Hochschild;Diane Rubenstein;Jeffrey K. Tulis

    (2020)
    0 Citations
  • Book Review: <i>Foucault in Brazil: Dictatorship, Resistance, and Solidarity</i>, by Marcelo Hoffman

    (2024)
    0 Citations

Related Online Degrees & Career Pathways

Studying Political Science in the USA opens doors to various allied fields, especially in law, criminal justice, and forensic psychology. Many students explore online programs that complement their political studies, such as criminal justice or paralegal careers, which offer practical insights into the legal system and policy enforcement.

For those interested in affordable options, understanding how much is criminal justice school can help in budgeting and planning education finances effectively. Exploring the best online criminal justice associate degree programs is a great starting point for students aiming for entry-level positions or internships in related fields.

Advanced career seekers might look into specialized fields such as forensic psychology. Pursuing an online forensic psychology masters can deepen understanding of criminal behavior and strengthen analytical skills essential for careers in law enforcement or policy analysis.

Alternatively, becoming a paralegal is another promising career path. Many accelerated programs are available, making it easy to explore paralegal school online while continuing other studies. This flexibility allows students to build skills relevant to both political science and legal fields efficiently.

Best Scientists Contributing to This Journal