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Focus and Scope
"… Exact science must always tolerate a different explanation of things as its equal, one shaped by an image of the whole and premised on the value of the past that seeks to understand and interpret individual phenomena in their context and organize the material through reflective judgements according to a general point of view."
Gustav Schmoller (On the Purpose and Aims of the Journal, 1881)
Economics is social science. This central idea guiding Schmollers Jahrbuch since its founding in 1871 has lost none of its relevance. Ever more scholars have discovered that an »isolating« economics that removes economic processes from their social, historical, ethical, and ecological contexts in the interest of applying certain formal methods runs the danger of missing important aspects of economic reality. In philosophy, the humanities, and the social sciences, contextualism has grown in importance over the last several years, a core postulate of which is that a fuller understanding of human thought and action requires a grasp of the context in which they are embedded. In line with its original intention, the main objective of Schmollers Jahrbuch is to offer such newer research a forum in which economic life is set in relation to its social and physical environment. Institutional approaches appear to be particularly relevant to this purpose, nevertheless quantitative and qualitative methods are equally welcome. We also wish to solicit contributions that devote themselves to questions of long-term human development and societal change, including from the perspective of economic history and the history of economic thought. Considering social and normative questions is an important thematic focus in the long tradition of this journal.
Starting with volume 2022, this journal will be published in Open Access as part of a Subscribe to Open pilot project.
Peer Review Process
The editors request that reviews be completed within 90 days. A rapid turn-around time is respectful to our authors and will be appreciated by the editors. The editors expect peer reviewers to 1) make a publication recommendation on whether the manuscript should be accepted, rejected, or returned to the author for revision and resubmission; and 2) provide an informed and unbiased written critique justifying that recommendation. The written critique will be submitted to the editors to accompany the reviewer decision and will be shared with the author.
In assessing whether a manuscript should or should not be published, offer an informed opinion about whether the submission merits becoming part of the permanent body of scholarly literature that will influence Schmolllers Jahrbuch readers and the social sciences more broadly, both now and into the future. Your written assessment should be detailed and thoughtful but also respectful and balanced. In conducting your review, keep in mind that the manuscript you are reviewing is a privileged communication. According to the laws of many countries, an unpublished manuscript is entitled to copyright protection; therefore, please refrain from circulating, discussing, referring or quoting a manuscript under review. Schmollers Jahrbuch employs an anonymous review process, but if you suspect that the manuscript's author is a person whom you may know and so could pose a conflict of interest (e.g., a colleague, collaborator, or a student), the editors request that you contact the editorial office immediately so that the manuscript may be reassigned.
