Third World Quarterly Special Issues

Third World Quarterly (TWQ) regularly publish Special Issues(SIs), which are collections of papers centered around a theme of topical interest and are organised and led by subject experts who take on the role of Guest Editor/s. 

Special Issue proposals must be in line with the journal’s aims and scope and should present innovative, interesting research on critical issues and core debates affecting the Global South.

Prospective Guest Editors are encouraged to submit thematic collections of articles that are coherent, robust, and original contributions to scholarship. The journal’s focus is on internationally comparative or regional research.

Notable TWQ Special Issues include:

1. Limits of autocratisation: actors and institutions of democratic resistance and opposition. Guest editors: Bilge Yabanci, Karabekir Akkoyunlu and Kerem Öktem Volume 46, Issue 2, 2025 pages 97-275
2. The informality of crisis situations: survival strategies and modes of governance. Guest editors: Joseph P. Helou and Abel Polese Volume 45, Issue 17-18, 2024 pages 2323-2468
3. Foreign aid of Gulf states: continuity and change. Guest editors: Mohammad Yaghi, Hanaa Almoaibed and Silvia Colombo Volume 45, Issue 15-16, 2024 pages 2145-2322
4. Climate Security in the Indo-Pacific: Variations, Contestations and Convergence of Security Practices. Guest editors: Mely Caballero-Anthony and Alistair D. B. Cook Volume 45, Issue 14, 2024 pages 2039-2144
5. Rethinking Iraqi state and society after regime change. Guest Editor: Toby Dodge Volume 45, Issue 10, 2024 pages 1573-1700
6. Political healing in East Asian international relations. Guest Editors: Ching-Chang Chen and Astrid H. M. Nordin Volume 45, Issue 6, 2024 pages 1019-1176
7. Addressing Gender-Based Violence in Latin America: Resistance, Agency and Solidarity. Guest Editors: Sanne Weber and Tatiana Sanchez Parra Volume 45, Issue 5, 2024 pages 827-1018
8. The social life of skills in the Global South. Guest Editors: Trent Brown and Geert de Neve Volume 45, Issue 4, 2024 pages 607-826
9. Memory and justice after famines. Guest Editors: Camilla Orjuela and Swati Parashar Volume 45, Issue 2, 2024 pages 247-443
10. Emancipatory movements of the Global South in a changing world order. Guest Editors: Annamaria Artner and Zhiguang Yin Volume 44, Issue 10, 2023 pages 2193-I
11. Designing and Negotiating Industrial Policy: Prospects and Challenges for State-led Development in the 21st Century. Guest Editor: Jewellord T. Nem Singh. Volume 44, Issue 9, 2023 pages 1919-2191
12. The Everyday Lives of Drugs: Producers, Traders, Consumers and Enforcers. Guest Editor: Maziyar Ghiabi Volume 43, Issue 11, 2022 pages 2545-2756
13. Migration Politics across the World. Guest Editors: Katharina Natter and Hélène Thiollet Volume 43, Issue 7, 2022 pages 1515-1816
14. Agonistic Peace: Advancing Knowledge on Institutional Dynamics and Relational Transformation. Guest editors: Lisa Strömbom and Isabel Bramsen Volume 43, Issue 6, 2022 pages 1237-1514
15. Emotions, Affect and Power: research directions for development studies. Guest Edito: Tanya Jakimow. Volume 43, Issue 3, 2022 pages 513-720
16. The “Global South” in the study of world politics. Guest Editors: Sebastian Haug, Jacqueline Braveboy-Wagner and Günther Maihold Volume 42, Issue 9, 2021 pages 1923-2208
17. Colonial Legacies and the (Un)doing of Africa. Guest editors: Swati Parashar and Michael Schulz Volume 42, Issue 5, 2021 pages 867-1133
18. Marx and Lenin in Africa and Asia: Socialism(s) and Socialist Legacies; Guest Editor: Harry Verhoeven Volume 42, Issue 3, 2021 pages 449-640
19. New actors and contested architectures in global migration governance. Guest editors: Micheline van Riemsdijk, Marianne H. Marchand & Volker M. Heins Volume 42, Issue 1, 2021 pages 1-217
20. Revolutions. Guest editors: Radhika Desai and Henry Heller Volume 41, Issue 8, 2020 pages 1261-1461
21. Citizen Aid and Everyday Humanitarianism. Guest Editors: Anne-Meike Fechter and Anke Schwittay Volume 40, Issue 10, 2019 pages 1769-1938
22. Rising Powers and State Transformation. Guest Editors: Shahar Hameiri, Lee Jones and John Heathershaw Volume 40, Issue 8, 2019 pages 1397-1589
23. Empire to Globalisation: Violence and the Making of the Third World. Guest Editors: Randolph B. Persaud and Narendran Kumarakulasingam Volume 40, Issue 2, 2019 pages 199-428
24. Rising Powers in International Conflict Management: Converging and Contesting Approaches. Guest Editor: Emel Parlar Dal Volume 39, Issue 12, 2018 pages 2207-2353
25. Converging Social Justice Issues and Movements. Guest editors: Tsegaye Moreda, Saturnino M. Borras Jr., Alberto Alonso-Fradejas and Zoe W. Brent Volume 39, Issue 7, 2018 pages 1227-1434
26. Developmental states beyond East Asia. Guest editors: Jewellord Nem Singh and Jesse Salah Ovadia Volume 39, Issue 6, 2018 pages 1033-1225
27. Drugs, politics and society in the Global South. Guest editor: Maziyar Ghiabi Volume 39, Issue 2, 2018 pages 207-(iii)
28. The Development Dictionary @25: Post-Development and its consequences. Guest editor: Aram Ziai Volume 38, Issue 12, 2017 pages 2547-(iii)
29. Whatever Happened to the Idea of Imperialism? Guest Editors: John Narayan and Leon Sealey-Huggins Volume 38, Issue 11, 2017 pages 2387-2545
30. New Mechanisms of Participation in Extractive Governance Between New Technologies of Governance and Resistance Work ; Guest Editors: Esben Leifsen, Maria-Therese Gustafsson, Maria A. Guzmán-Gallegos and Almut Schilling-Vacaflor Volume 38, Issue 5, 2017 pages 1043-1214

TWQ Special Issue Editors

TWQ has two dedicated Special Issue Editors:

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Third World Thematics

Third World Thematics (TWT) was an online only journal which published special issues in the fields of international relations and development studies, specifically showcasing research on the crucial issues facing the contemporary Global South.

Third World Quarterly has increased to 18 issues per year from 2024, and will take on the mission of re-integrating TWT into online and print issues. You can browse the journal archive on the TWT page.