TWQ Journal

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Aims and Scope

Third World Quarterly (TWQ ) is the leading journal in the field of Global South Studies, focussed on historical and contemporary structures and relations of inequality and development. It was launched in 1978, in the context of the North-South Dialogue and the then-emerging New International Economic Order. TWQ is committed to a just and equitable future for what is historically known as the ‘Third World’.

The journal has a legacy of publishing progressive and exploratory content that is anti-racist, anti-imperialist and anti-sexist. It continues to shape academic and policy agendas across political and development discourses, as well as the postcolonial trajectories of Global South nations and peoples. TWQ articles showcase the agency and rising power of the Global South in setting the agenda and providing alternatives to Western ideologies, global inequities, and responses to the global permacrisis.

TWQ has a broad remit and publishes a wide range of research on social justice, environmental sustainability, health, statebuilding, mobilities, security, financial systems, peacebuilding and human rights, culture and art, among other topics. The journal encourages contributions from across the social sciences and humanities, including but not limited to:

  • international relations; 
  • development studies; 
  • women’s, gender and queer studies; 
  • race, class and ethnicity studies; 
  • heterodox economics and critical political economy; 
  • and historical and sociocultural research.

TWQ welcomes interdisciplinary contributions as well as case studies that are theoretically informed. The journal also fosters bridge building between policy research and practitioner relevance. TWQ supports and disseminates the voices of early career researchers, especially from the Global South, and welcomes proposals for ground-breaking special issues that interrogate crucial topics relevant to the journal’s mission and bring together scholars from diverse backgrounds.

TWQ is published by Routledge, a Taylor & Francis Group.

Learn about the journal’s metrics.

“Highly relevant to Third World concerns.”

Noam Chomsky

Latest Issue

Volume 45, Issue 3, 2024

Publishing eighteen issues per year.

Print ISSN: 0143-6597 

Online ISSN: 1360-2241


Peer Review Statement

ased on initial editor screening and double anonymous refereeing by two referees. Book reviews are assessed by the Book Review Editors but are not externally peer reviewed.

Authors can choose to publish gold open access in this journal.

Interested in peer reviewing for Third World Quarterly? Join the Excellence in Peer Review training programme.

“TWQ has embodied the problems and prospects of the places and peoples of the Third World/ Global South, aiming to highlight the hopes and verbalise the voices of the Majority World.”

Shahid Qadir, Founding Editor and Chair of the Editorial Board for Third World Quarterly

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Third World Quarterly: Call for Special Issues


Third World Quarterly is currently seeking Special Issues presenting innovative, interesting research on critical issues and core debates affecting the Global South. If you want to find out more, visit the Taylor and Francis special issue page.