Societies and Sustainability (SAS) welcomes a diverse range of manuscript types that advance research across the social sciences, sustainability studies, governance, public policy, economics, education, public health, digital societies, cultural studies, urban development, and related interdisciplinary fields. The journal aims to provide a comprehensive platform for different forms of scholarly work, supporting both theoretical and applied contributions that deepen understanding of contemporary societies and their transformation.

Below is an overview of the manuscript types accepted by the journal.

1. Original Research Articles

Original Research Articles present new empirical, theoretical, analytical, or policy-relevant findings that contribute meaningfully to the fields of social sciences and sustainability studies. These manuscripts should provide a clear research question or objective, a well-defined theoretical or conceptual framework, appropriate methodology, transparent analysis, and well-supported conclusions.

Submissions must demonstrate originality, academic rigor, ethical responsibility, and alignment with the journal’s scope. Emphasis is placed on strong research design, relevant literature engagement, clear argumentation, and contributions that advance scholarly debate or inform professional, institutional, or policy practice.

Examples of topics:

• Digital Governance and Public Trust in Contemporary Democracies
• Social Inequality and Access to Public Services in Urban Communities
• Sustainable Business Models and Organizational Transformation
• Public Health, Social Resilience, and Community Well-being
• Artificial Intelligence, Labour Markets, and Future Skills
• Education Policy and Social Mobility in Knowledge Societies

2. Review Articles

Review Articles offer a critical, systematic, or integrative synthesis of existing research on a specific topic within the journal’s scope. These manuscripts consolidate previous scholarship, identify major trends, evaluate theoretical and methodological developments, and highlight gaps in current knowledge.

Review articles should not only summarize existing literature, but also provide a clear analytical perspective, propose future research directions, and contribute to the development of scholarly debate. They are valuable for both established researchers and readers seeking an informed overview of an evolving field.

Examples of topics:

• Sustainability Governance: Concepts, Challenges, and Future Directions
• Digital Transformation in Education: A Review of Emerging Trends
• Artificial Intelligence and Society: Ethical, Legal, and Social Implications
• Public Health and Social Inequality: Current Research Perspectives
• Misinformation, Media Trust, and Democratic Resilience
• Urban Sustainability and Smart Cities: Interdisciplinary Approaches

3. Short Communications

Short Communications are concise scholarly contributions that report focused findings, emerging research directions, preliminary results, innovative observations, or timely academic discussions. These manuscripts are shorter than full research articles and are intended for work that has clear relevance but does not require the length of a full article.

Short Communications may present early empirical findings, theoretical insights, policy observations, methodological notes, or focused analysis of current societal developments. They should still meet the journal’s standards for clarity, originality, ethical responsibility, and scholarly relevance.

Examples of topics:

• Preliminary Findings on AI Use in Public Administration
• Early Observations on Student Engagement in Digital Learning Environments
• Rapid Analysis of Social Responses to Urban Policy Change
• Emerging Trends in Remote Work and Labour Market Adaptation
• Short Report on Public Perceptions of Sustainability Policies
• Initial Evidence on Digital Media and Misinformation Patterns

4. Case Studies

Case Studies provide in-depth examinations of specific social, institutional, cultural, policy, organizational, educational, healthcare, urban, or sustainability-related contexts. These manuscripts highlight particular examples that offer broader scholarly, practical, or policy-relevant insights.

Case studies are especially valuable when they connect real-world situations with theoretical interpretation, methodological clarity, and wider implications. They may focus on a country, region, city, institution, community, organization, policy initiative, educational programme, public health intervention, or digital transformation process.

Examples of topics:

• Case Study of Digital Governance Reform in a European Municipality
• Sustainable Urban Development in a Rapidly Growing City
• Community-Based Social Work Responses to Vulnerable Groups
• Implementation of Digital Learning Platforms in Higher Education
• Public Health Communication During a Social Crisis
• Social Innovation and Local Sustainability Initiatives

5. Methodological Articles

Methodological Articles present new or refined methods, research designs, analytical frameworks, data collection tools, evaluation models, or interdisciplinary approaches relevant to social sciences and sustainability research. These manuscripts should explain the method clearly, demonstrate its relevance, and discuss its possible applications, strengths, limitations, and contribution to research practice.

Methodological articles may address qualitative, quantitative, mixed-methods, comparative, digital, participatory, policy-oriented, or computational approaches. They are particularly important for improving transparency, reproducibility, ethical research design, and methodological innovation across complex social and sustainability-related fields.

Examples of topics:

• A Mixed-Methods Framework for Studying Digital Societies
• Survey Design for Measuring Public Attitudes Toward Sustainability Policies
• Methodological Challenges in Social Media and Misinformation Research
• Participatory Methods in Urban and Community Studies
• Using AI-Assisted Tools in Social Science Data Analysis
• Comparative Policy Analysis in Sustainability Governance Research

6. Editorials and Invited Contributions

Editorials are written by the journal’s editors or invited experts and provide scholarly commentary on emerging issues, thematic priorities, special issues, or significant developments in the social sciences and sustainability studies. These contributions may introduce a special issue, reflect on current academic debates, or highlight urgent questions that require interdisciplinary attention.

Editorials should provide a clear and thoughtful perspective, grounded in academic knowledge and relevant to the journal’s scholarly community. Invited contributions may also include thematic reflections, expert viewpoints, or conceptual discussions approved by the editorial team.

Examples of topics:

• Social Sciences and Sustainability in a Time of Global Transformation
• The Role of Education in Building Resilient and Inclusive Societies
• Artificial Intelligence, Governance, and the Future of Public Trust
• Strengthening Interdisciplinary Research for Sustainable Development
• Social Equity, Public Health, and Institutional Responsibility
• Digital Societies and the Ethics of Technological Change

Submission Guidelines

Authors are encouraged to review the specific submission guidelines provided on the Societies and Sustainability (SAS) website before preparing and submitting manuscripts. Following these guidelines helps ensure that submissions meet the journal’s requirements for formatting, structure, citation style, metadata, ethical declarations, and publication standards.

Manuscript preparation should follow the SAS Author Guidelines, including requirements related to academic structure, originality, citation practice, research ethics, conflict of interest disclosure, funding statements, data availability, AI-assisted tool disclosure, and copyright or licensing considerations.

For questions regarding manuscript types, suitability of a topic, formatting, submission procedures, or editorial requirements, authors are welcome to contact the editorial office.