Interdisciplinary Science Reviews

Published by Sage from 2024. 

Interdisciplinary Science Reviews is a well-established forum where interdisciplinary research between the natural sciences, the arts and humanities is reviewed and discussed. ISR publishes work which explores the nature, possibilities and challenges of interdisciplinary research and practice with the aim of promoting constructive dialogue between and across multiple fields of study.

ISR's purpose is not to say what interdisciplinarity is but to exhibit what happens when researchers start from one discipline and expand into others. We look for research that attempts to find or negotiate mutually comprehensible terms between different intellectual cultures, making as explicit as possible the assumptions inherent to them. We acknowledge that interdisciplinary research is singular neither in method nor standpoint but fundamentally diverse. Therefore, we seek not to reify 'interdisciplinarity' as an unquestioned good, but rather to provide a venue for contributions that would otherwise struggle to find homes in strictly disciplinary spaces. Likewise, ISR stretches 'science' to the limits of scientia ('knowledge'), allowing for the exploration of work in many disciplines from multiple perspectives. The aim is not convergence of disciplines or a unified science, but conversation that respects as well as illuminates disciplinary differences. The similarities, where they hold under rigorous examination, are where we begin, not end.

A submission to ISR must be proactive in its pursuit of interdisciplinary dialogue. Submissions that merely take a concept, theory or technique from one field and uncritically apply it to another without unpacking its assumptions and considering the implications will be rejected. Because of ISR's interdisciplinary audience, submissions need to use language that is easily grasped by readers outside the author's discipline.

ISR's cover image, 'Two men discussing coming hunt' (1961), by Inuit artist Qabaroak Qaisiya of Kinngait (formerly Cape Dorset), Nunavut, Canada*, communicates what the journal promotes: the collaborative attempt to communicate and make real across that which separates (and therefore nurtures) separate disciplines. Qaisiya's conjuring of the two hunters' shared mind makes us attend to the betweeness of a relation within which something is realised.

The best concrete guide to ISR’s current scope are its issues. Authors considering submission to the journal are strongly advised to familiarise themselves with its publications during the last decade or so. Potential contributors are also strongly encouraged to read the Editorial on the subject, " ISR's Intellectual Project", in 41.1 (2016).

ISR features several different formats:

• Thematic issues, which can take different forms. Some address broad topics, with an introduction that brings their perspectives together; others comprise a core essay to which other articles in the issue respond. Proposals for thematic issues are welcome; please contact the Editor-in-Chief directly with a one-page statement of intent and as much detail about the proposed contents as possible.
• Independent interdisciplinary articles that consider a problem or question at length from the perspectives of two or more disciplines. On occasion, book reviews will be considered. Contact the Editor-in-Chief or Managing Editor to inquire about the last of these.

Peer Review Policy
All submitted manuscripts are subject to initial appraisal by the Editors. Submissions that fall outside the above criteria will be rejected without further consideration. If submissions are found suitable, they are then sent out for double-anonymized peer-review. The Editors are supported by an active international editorial board.

As a matter of course, authors are asked to supply the names and confirmed e-mail addresses of at least four potential referees in their covering letter. Suggested reviewers must be international experts in one or more disciplines directly relevant to the submission; they must not be personal acquaintances nor from institutions with which the author has a current or previous affiliation. It is at the discretion of the Editors whether to consider these reviewers or find others. Normal rules prohibiting conflict of interest with potential reviewers apply; violation can lead to rejection of the article in line with Editorial Policies. Subsequent to acceptance by reviewers, all articles are checked for unacknowledged use of others' published work; if such use is detected, revision or rejection without appeal is at the discretion of the Editors.

Publishing Ethics
The journal adheres to the highest standards of publishing ethics, with rigorous processes in place to ensure this is achieved. Taylor & Francis is a member of Committee of Publications Ethics (COPE) and utilises CrossCheck for all Journals. More information on our ethical standards and policies can be found here: http://authorservices.taylorandfrancis.com/ethics-for-authors/.

The Journal has an appeals and complaints policy which can be viewed here: https://authorservices.taylorandfrancis.com/peer-review-appeals-and-complaints-from-authors/.

(*by permission of Dorset Fine Arts, Toronto, Canada)

Updated: January 2024