The journal Security Challenges is the work of The Institute for Regional Security (The Institute).
The Managing Editor of Security Challenges is Mr Chris Gardiner, CEO of The Institute, who may be contacted at chris.gardiner@ifrs.org.au.
Security Challenges publishes:
Security Challenges focuses on research and commentary for security policy making.
Security Challenges focuses on Security in multiple policy domains:
Security Challenges focuses on Security in states and regions within the Indo-Pacific, defined to include:
It also incorporates geo-domains for Antarctica and the Arctic.
Security Challenges includes a focus on Applied History and Security Policy.
Word length for submissions:
*Submissions seeking to provide a detailed response to a published article may be submitted as a commentary piece in terms of word length.
Each research paper must include an abstract.
Each paper must suggest key words or potential hashtags.
A preferred structure for policy-oriented papers is:
As Security Challenges is published on a digital platform, references and footnotes will be placed at the end of the published piece but be hyperlinked to allow readers to scroll over and immediately accessed the reference or note.
Authors should be guided in the creation of their work by the Chicago Manual of Style (17th Edition), as proofing and editing of submissions will rely on that style guide.
Security Challenges requires authors to use the Chicago notes and bibliography style of citation, a guide to which may be found here.
Authors must provide their full name, their academic or employment position, their title, and their academic qualifications.
If submitting a research paper, authors must identify the institution(s) in which the research was undertaken.
Authors must declare the name of funding entities for research that is produced under a grant or sponsorship.
An author may request that the following statements be included with their contribution:
Where an author holds an ORCID digital identifier, that should be provided and will be published with author details.
All research papers will be peer reviewed. Editors are responsible for the appointment of anonymous reviewers. A reviewer who wishes to have their name and contact provided to an author, after the paper is approved and published, may seek permission from The Institute to do so.
Reviewers will be experts in the policy or geo-domain in which the author seeks to have worked published. Recommendations from an author for a reviewer will not be accepted and may require that the nominated individual not be considered. Reviewers will not be selected if they work with an author or for an entity providing funding for the research.
Reviewers may be paid a small honorarium for their work.
The Institute reserves the right to decline any submission, at its sole discretion, and at any point prior to publication notwithstanding completion of a peer review.
Selection and approval of papers for publication is made, in the first instance, by the Editor of the relevant journal domain. For example, a paper on human security would be forwarded to the Editor of that domain, who would decide on acceptance, appoint a reviewer or reviewers if required, and approve for publication.
The Institute may propose corrections or editing it deems appropriate and may make final publication conditional on agreement to its changes.
Authors retain rights to their work but in submitting work agree to providing The Institute with a right and license to publish and promote the work – in full or in part – for the full copyright term. Authors will be asked to declare whether the work being submitted has been submitted to any other publisher and The Institute may require that the author to provide exclusive publication rights.
Authors acknowledge that the right and license given to The Institute to promote their work includes the right to promote it to traditional media outlets and on social media platforms, and in such manner and form, as The Institute deems appropriate.
Authors may be invited to be interviewed about their work for podcast and promotional purposes by The Institute. Where such interviews occur, authors acknowledge that The Institute holds the rights to the interview material and to use that material in full or in part, for such promotional purposes as it deems appropriate.
Authors do not have the right to submit content that belongs to another author or entity. Inclusion of content from another author or entity must be acknowledged and properly and accurately referenced. Authors warrant, in submitting their work, that they have sought and hold permission for inclusion of work such as images, tables, and diagrams from another author or entity or publication.
The Institute may, at its sole discretion, choose to publish an article in multiple languages. Authors agree in submitting their work that translation may be undertaken, and, whilst using its best endeavours to ensure accuracy, agree not to hold The Institute liable for any error or ambiguity arising in a translated version.
The Institute retains the right to retract a previously published paper from its platform where there is reason to believe unethical conduct was involved in the creation or submission of the paper.
Papers must be submitted in English but may be accompanied by versions in other languages with a request that the additional language versions be published. Authors warrant that papers submitted in languages in addition to English are accurate and full versions of the English paper. Authors are responsible for ensuring that changes to a paper as a result of peer review or Institute editing are accurately incorporated into the other language version they wish to have published.
Documents must be submitted in a Microsoft Word document, with double spacing and 12-point text.
Where diagrams, images or tables are included in a submission, authors acknowledge that The Institute may format the material as it deems appropriate. Authors must submit data used in tables or diagrams in Microsoft Excel format when submitting their work to allow possible redesign of tables and images. All images (such as photographs) must be submitted in high resolution eps format.
The Institute publishes Security Challenges as a digital publication, and articles may be found and submitted on The Institute platform.
Work once approved is published immediately in the relevant domain or section of the platform. Work is made available in PDF format for download immediately it is published on the platform.
The Institute may, in its sole discretion, also publish paper, collections or selections of published work in paper form.
The Institute commends to authors the statement on responsible research publication developed at the World Conference on Research Integrity in Singapore in 2010.
Plagiarism will not be tolerated by The Institute: authors will be expected to respect the work, rights and intellectual property of other authors and entities and misuse or unacknowledged use of others’ work may lead to rejection of a submission, retraction of published work, and advice to the institution at which author is based on the action taken.
The Institute seeks to promote policy debate and development in the interests of the peace and prosperity of the peoples of the Indo-Pacific. It seeks to publish evidence-based research and reasoned commentary to promote such policy work. It will not publish what it considers polemical or extremist work. It expects its contributors to respect and treat civilly each other, their critics, and The Institute’s editors, reviewers, and organisational members.