About the Journal

Focus and Scope

The Journal of Social Science Education (JSSE) is an international, peer-reviewed, open-access journal which publishes high-quality articles on teaching and learning in the interdisciplinary field of social science education. Published since 2002, the JSSE is a quarterly with thematic issues which, nevertheless, also runs a permanent open call.

In addition to its focus on original research papers, the JSSE welcomes other contributions including research notes, essays, reports about debates and developments, country studies, conference reports, case studies or lesson reports, reviews and review essays.

The JSSE is edited by Reinhold Hedtke, Bielefeld, Mehmet Açıkalın, Istanbul, Tilman Grammes, Hamburg, Jan M. Löfström, Turku, Olga Bombardelli, Trento, Isabel Menezes, Porto, Birgit Weber, Cologne, and Andrea Szukala, Münster. Udo Hagedorn, Bielefeld, is associate editor, Marcel Beyer, Bielefeld, managing editor.

Concept of the Journal

The Journal of Social Science Education (JSSE) was founded in order to offer the disciplines in the field of social science education a representative scholarly publication. The journal represents a sophisticated image that is characterised by its theory and research orientation, interdisciplinary approach, internationalism and originality as well as by a rigorous anonymous peer review.

Theory and research orientation: The Journal of Social Science Education (JSSE) is a theory and research oriented journal of social science education and related disciplines and fields. Theoretical discussions on education, teaching and learning and related empirical research, whether qualitative or quantitative, are its centre of interest. Of course, scholarly perspectives on practices of teaching and learning and the discussion of policies, empirical results, and research methods are included.

Interdisciplinary approach: The JSSE promotes the dialogue among the disciplines of social science education and between them and the social sciences. It is committed to the ideas of cooperation and interdisciplinary research and communication. Therefore, the editors of the JSSE prefer topics which are relevant for more than one specialist discipline of social science education or social sciences.

Internationality and focus on Europe: The JSSE aims to provide a forum for the dialogue across national borders and puts a particular stress on a European perspective and on research on and practices of European and neighbouring countries. That is why the journal prefers themes that are of multinational or supranational, especially European relevance and papers that deal with topics related to the diverse discourses in Europe.

Originality: The editors prefer contributions that stimulate and enrich the scholarly discourse with their originality and innovativeness, develop new concepts, apply unconventional research methods or transcend borders of conventional discourses.

Quality standards: Papers submitted to the Journal of Social Science Education (JSSE) are entered into a rigorous double-blind peer-review process, normally read by at least two editors, assessed for suitability and then reviewed by two independent, anonymous expert referees. The editors’ decision will be final. The editors reserve the right to decline articles if they are judged as inconsistent with the editorial policy.

Among others, the JSSE is indexed in SocINDEX, Scopus and DOAJ, it is listed in Hcéres (SHS 4) and The Nordic List.

Peer Review Process

A submitted manuscript is made anonymous and presented to two reviewers by the editors of Journal of Social Science Education (JSSE). The reviewers remain anonymous, and come from two different disciplines. The publishers decide about approval or refusal of the contribution on the basis of the reviews.

There are four types of decision: unchanged approval and publication, approval on condition of revision and publication afterwards, refusal of the presented version and publication on condition of a thorough reworking, refusal. The largest part of the manuscripts taken in consideration for publication are handed back to the authors for reworking. Editors and editorial department seek to keep the period between submission and publication of a manuscript as short as possible.

Publication Frequency

The Journal of Social Science Education (JSSE) is published quarterly.

Topics

The Journal of Social Science Education (JSSE) covers a broad range of topics in the field of civic and economic education. Recent JSSE topics were:

  • National Holidays and Other Socio-Political Rituals in schools
  • Language and Citizenship Education: Discussion, Deliberation and Democracy
  • Pluralist Thinking in Economic and Socio-economic Education
  • European Identity and Citizenship in Textbooks and Educational Material
  • School Democracy and Increased Student Diversity
  • Constructing the Legitimate Knowledge
  • Character Education and Citizenship Education
  • Beyond Description: Civic and Political Education in Europe – Dialogue and Comparison
  • Art Education and Civic Education
  • Controversial Issues in the Political Classroom
  • Digital Tools and Social Science Education
  • Multiperspectivity, Values and Criticism in Economic and Civic Education
  • Education for National Belonging: Imposing Borders and Boundaries on Citizenship
  • Revolution and Memories
  • (Hidden) Normativity in Social Science Education and History Education
  • Civic Activism, Engagement and Education: Issues and Trends
  • Young Europeans in an Era of Crises: Citizenship Education in a New Perspective
  • Social Sciences in Higher Education
  • Insights into Citizenship Classrooms: The Art of Documentation & Description

Authors are kindly invited to submit papers dealing with any subject of the field of social science education to info@jsse.org.

Open and Permanent Call for Papers

The editorial team of the Journal of Social Science Education (JSSE) invites authors to submit articles. The JSSE welcomes contributions on a broad range of issues and themes regarding social science education as well as those relevant to the precise subject area chosen as main topic for a particular issue.

Authors may submit their papers at any time. The submissions should reflect the guidance provided unde Author Guidelines.

The JSSE is an international peer-reviewed academic journal in the area of research on teaching and learning in the field of social science education. It is characterised by its orientation towards both theory and research, originality and innovativeness, a strong interdisciplinary approach and internationalism with special attention to the European academic discourse (cf. Concept of the Journal).

In addition to its focus on peer-reviewed research papers, the journal welcomes other contributions including essays, reports about developments in a country or countries, conference reports, case studies, lesson reports or commentaries.

The Journal of Social Science Education (JSSE) has been published since 2002.

Based on a thorough selection process regarding the significance of the topic for the academic discourse in the field of social science education, the JSSE ensures quality by a double-blind peer review. At least two reviews provide the basis for the final decision on publication by the Editors.

The Journal of Social Science Education (JSSE) covers a broad range of topics in the field of civic, citizenship, economic and social education. For recent JSSE topics see above "Topics".

The Journal of Social Science Education (JSSE) is supported with “Open Journal System” (OJS) – open source software for management and publication of open access journals.

Professional Standards

Logo COPE

The Journal of Social Science Education (JSSE) adheres to the OASPA Professional Code of Conduct and adopts the COPE guidelines on publication ethics to ensure a high standard in Open Access publishing. The most important rules are the following:

Authors of JSSE must confirm:

  • Submitted manuscripts must be the original work of the author(s).
  • Only unpublished manuscripts should be submitted.
  • It is unethical to submit a manuscript to more than one journal concurrently.
  • Any conflict of interest must be clearly stated.
  • Acknowledge the sources of data used in the development of the manuscript.
  • All errors discovered in the manuscript after submission must be swiftly communicated to the Editor.

Reviewers of JSSE must confirm:

  • That all manuscripts are reviewed in fairness based on the intellectual content of the paper regardless of gender, race, ethnicity, religion, citizenry, political affiliation and values nor paradigmatic orientation of author(s).
  • That any observed conflict of interest during the review process must be communicated to the Editor.
  • That all information pertaining to the manuscript is kept confidential.
  • That any information that may be the reason for the rejection of publication of a manuscript must be communicated to the Editor.

Editors of JSSE must confirm:

  • That all materials published are subjected to some form of peer-based review process.
  • That all manuscripts are evaluated in fairness based on the intellectual content of the paper regardless of gender, race, ethnicity, religion, citizenry, political affiliation and values nor paradigmatic orientation of author(s).
  • That information pertaining manuscripts are kept confidential.
  • That any observed conflict of interest pertaining manuscripts must be disclosed.
  • The Editorial Board takes responsibility for making publication decisions for submitted manuscripts based on the reviewer’s evaluation of the manuscript, policies of the journal editorial board and legal restrain acting against plagiarism, libel and copyright infringement.

Book Reviews

For book reviews please contact:

Prof. Dr. Mehmet Açıkalın
Istanbul University - Cerrahpasa
Hasan Ali Yucel College of Education
Department of Social Studies Education
acikalin@iuc.edu.tr
Address: Alkent 2000 Mah. YigitTurk Cad. No:5/7
Buyukcekmece Yerleskesi -Buyukcekmece / ISTANBUL / TURKEY 34500

Open Access Policy

JSSE provides immediate open access to its content on the principle that making research freely available to the public supports a greater global exchange of knowledge.

Publication Fees

The JSSE is supported by Bielefeld University, Bielefeld University Library and the non-profit organisation sowi-online e.V., Bielefeld. No publication and processing fees are demanded. 

The JSSE adopts the COPE Guidelines on publication ethics.

Publisher

The Journal of Social Science Education (JSSE) is published by sowi-online e.V., a non-profit organisation and registered society at the Bielefeld Court of Record (Registergericht), Germany. Members of the JSSE team are the editors, the editorial assistant, the technical staff, and the editorial board.

The editors are very grateful for the support by the team of Bielefeld University Library, who are providing the journal management system and hosting the JSSE.

The JSSE is Sponsored by

Bielefeld University, Leuphana University Lüneburg, University of Porto, University of York, University of Cologne, Hamburg University

The JSSE is Hosted and Supported by

Bielefeld University Library