Aims & Scope

Journal Scope

Aims & Scope

Societies and Sustainability publishes rigorous research across the social sciences, sustainability studies, governance, law, economics, education, public health, digital transformation, cultural studies, urban development, and contemporary societal change.

Societies and Sustainability (SAS) is an international scholarly journal dedicated to the publication of high-quality research in social sciences, sustainability studies, governance, public policy, law, economics, education, healthcare, communication, digital societies, cultural transformation, and related interdisciplinary fields. The journal provides an academic platform for original research, review articles, case studies, methodological papers, and interdisciplinary studies that contribute to a deeper understanding of social systems, institutional processes, human behaviour, public welfare, and the complex transformations shaping contemporary societies.

SAS is developed within the scholarly framework of SWS Scholarly Society / SGEM WORLD SCIENCE and reflects its long-standing commitment to interdisciplinary scientific dialogue, responsible knowledge exchange, social responsibility, sustainability, education, and innovation. The journal aims to support research that is not only academically rigorous, but also relevant to the major challenges facing societies, institutions, communities, economies, and public systems in the twenty-first century.

The scope of the journal covers a broad spectrum of scientific fields connected with society, governance, economy, culture, education, human adaptation, urban development, and sustainable transformation. SAS welcomes studies that combine theoretical insight, empirical research, policy analysis, comparative perspectives, digital methods, social data, professional practice, and interdisciplinary interpretation. Particular attention is given to research that connects social science knowledge with sustainable development, institutional resilience, ethical governance, public welfare, digital transformation, and inclusive societal progress.

Core Areas

Six Research Domains

The journal's scope is structured around six connected domains of social science, sustainability, governance, technology, education, culture and public life.

01

Governance, Law, and Policy for Sustainable Societies

SAS publishes research related to political sciences, governance, public administration, legal studies, institutional development, human rights, public policy, and the role of law in shaping sustainable and resilient societies.

The journal welcomes studies that examine how institutions, legal systems, public authorities, civil society, and international frameworks respond to contemporary social, economic, environmental, and technological challenges.

Research may address democratic governance, digital governance, public sector reform, environmental justice, policy innovation, regulatory frameworks, ethics in public decision-making, social responsibility, legal adaptation to technological change, international cooperation, institutional trust, transparency, accountability, and evidence-based policy-making.

02

Innovation in Business, Technology, and Artificial Intelligence

This area focuses on the transformation of business, management, finance, digital systems, innovation ecosystems, and the impact of emerging technologies on society.

SAS welcomes manuscripts that explore how organizations, markets, institutions, and communities are reshaped by digital transformation, artificial intelligence, data-driven decision-making, entrepreneurship, sustainable business models, and technological innovation.

Relevant research may include business management, financial sustainability, digital innovation, responsible AI, platform economies, organizational change, labour markets, ethical technology use, smart services, information systems, and the social implications of automation.

03

Social Sciences and Human Adaptation

SAS welcomes research that examines human behaviour, social structures, cultural dynamics, psychological processes, demographic change, anthropology, sociology, social work, and the ways individuals and communities adapt to changing social conditions.

This area reflects the journal's commitment to understanding society not only through institutions and policies, but also through lived experience, identity, resilience, inequality, and human development.

Studies may address social inclusion, migration, demographic transformation, social welfare, mental health, family and community structures, cultural adaptation, social inequality, human geography, public behaviour, vulnerability, and resilience.

04

Education, Learning, and Social Equity

This area covers research on education systems, lifelong learning, digital education, pedagogy, social equity, access to knowledge, skills development, and the role of education in sustainable and inclusive societies.

SAS welcomes studies that investigate how educational institutions, teaching methods, learning technologies, policy frameworks, and social conditions influence individual opportunity and collective development.

Relevant contributions may include digital learning, higher education, curriculum development, inclusive education, educational inequality, teacher training, capacity building, public awareness, sustainability education, social mobility, democratic participation, professional development, cultural understanding, digital literacy, and societal resilience.

05

Sustainability in Urban and Public Spaces

SAS publishes research on urban studies, regional development, public infrastructure, human geography, demography, smart cities, spatial justice, community planning, and the sustainability of public spaces.

This area examines how cities, regions, and local communities respond to rapid social, environmental, economic, and technological transformation.

Research may include urban governance, smart city development, public space, mobility, housing, regional policy, infrastructure, demographic change, environmental quality, social inclusion, cultural landscapes, urban resilience, participatory planning, and the quality of life of citizens.

06

Culture, Communication, Media, and Public Knowledge

SAS welcomes research on cultural studies, media, communication, misinformation, digital culture, information science, public knowledge, and the ways societies produce, share, contest, and interpret meaning.

This area recognizes that contemporary sustainability and social transformation are shaped not only by policies and institutions, but also by narratives, communication systems, cultural values, information access, and public trust.

Relevant topics may include media systems, public communication, misinformation, social media, digital culture, information behaviour, knowledge organization, cultural globalization, identity, public discourse, communication ethics, and data and information infrastructures in society.

IR

Interdisciplinary and Applied Research

SAS places strong emphasis on interdisciplinary research that connects social sciences with sustainability, governance, technology, culture, education, public health, economics, urban development, and societal needs. The journal welcomes manuscripts that cross traditional disciplinary boundaries and bring together methods or perspectives from political science, law, economics, sociology, psychology, education, communication studies, cultural studies, public health, information science, urban studies, demography, and digital transformation.

The journal is especially interested in research that demonstrates clear scholarly contribution and practical relevance. Studies may focus on local, regional, national, or global contexts, provided that the research question, methodology, analysis, and conclusions are presented with academic rigor and broader relevance.

TC

Types of Contributions

SAS considers original research articles, review articles, case studies, methodological papers, short communications, technical or policy notes, interdisciplinary research papers, selected scholarly contributions from scientific conferences subject to editorial screening and peer review, and invited editorials or thematic papers approved by the editorial team.

All submissions must be original, clearly written, properly referenced, and aligned with the journal's academic and ethical standards.

RQ

Research Quality and Editorial Expectations

Submissions to SAS should demonstrate a clear research aim, appropriate methodology or analytical framework, reliable data or evidence, critical engagement with relevant literature, transparent presentation of findings, and well-supported conclusions. Manuscripts should make a recognizable contribution to the field, either through new empirical findings, methodological innovation, theoretical development, policy relevance, applied insight, or interdisciplinary synthesis.

The journal particularly values research that addresses current social, institutional, cultural, economic, educational, technological, or sustainability-related challenges; applies robust and transparent methods; contributes to responsible governance and social well-being; strengthens understanding of digital and societal transformation; supports inclusion, equity, and public welfare; connects academic knowledge with practical application; and contributes to international scholarly dialogue.

Manuscripts that are descriptive without clear analysis, outside the journal's scope, methodologically weak, ethically problematic, or lacking scholarly contribution may be returned to authors before or after peer review.

MS

Mission of the Journal

The mission of Societies and Sustainability is to provide a trusted open scholarly venue for research that deepens understanding of societies, institutions, communities, cultures, economies, public systems, and sustainable transformation. By publishing rigorous and relevant research, the journal aims to support the global exchange of knowledge, encourage responsible social innovation, and contribute to the development of more inclusive, resilient, and sustainable societies.

SAS seeks to serve researchers, educators, professionals, institutions, policymakers, students, and practitioners who are engaged in the study and improvement of social systems and human development. Through its broad but coherent scope, the journal supports scholarly work that connects analysis with responsibility, knowledge with practice, and academic excellence with real-world societal relevance.

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