Submission deadline – 16 November 2026
Special Issue: Human rights, climate governance and climate-induced migration
Global Campus Human Rights Journal (GCHRJ) is established as a peer-reviewed biannual publication dedicated to serving as a forum for rigorous scholarly analysis and critical commentary in the fields of human rights and democratization at the local, national, regional and global levels. We particularly encourage multi- and inter-disciplinary perspectives and a range of methodological approaches. GCHRJ also aims to foster interdisciplinary dialogue and collaboration between stakeholders, including academics, activists in human rights and democratization, NGOs and civil society.
GCHRJ is an open-access journal published under the auspices of the Global Campus of Human Rights and Volume 10 is supported financially by the European Union and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ). No fees are charged for submission, article processing or publication. GCHRJ is indexed on the Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ).
The journal welcomes submissions on a wide range of topics relating to the fields of human rights and democratisation, but particularly welcomes contributions that speak to the Global Campus of Human Rights: Vision, Mission and Strategic Objectives 2024-2028.
Thematic Focus of Issue 1: The intersection of human rights with climate governance and climate-induced migration
For the first issue of Volume 10, GCHRJ invites contributions that examine the intersection of human rights with climate governance and climate-induced migration. Climate change, environmental degradation, disasters and the loss of habitable land are reshaping patterns of human mobility, migration and displacement worldwide, while exposing significant gaps in existing legal and institutional frameworks for the human rights protection of the affected persons.
We welcome submissions addressing, among others, the following themes:
- State obligations regarding climate protection and mitigation under international human rights law.
- Best practices in global and regional climate governance.
- Climate governance and public participation: access rights; just transition; and transparency and accountability.
- Climate litigation, strategic advocacy, and accountability of state and non-state actors.
- Climate justice and vulnerable populations: safeguarding marginalized communities; indigenous rights, traditional knowledge and territorial rights; intergenerational equity.
- Drivers of climate-induced migration and human rights violations.
- Legal and normative frameworks governing climate-induced migration and environmental displacement, including regional and cross-regional approaches.
- The rights of cross-border migrants, internally displaced persons, and stateless persons in the context of environmental and climate change.
- Labor rights, exploitation, and the informal economy among climate migrants.
- Intersectional perspectives (eg, gender, age, disability, socio-economic status, etc) in climate-induced migration.
- Border governance, securitization, and the treatment of climate migrants.
- Mitigation and response efforts to climate-induced migration to uphold human rights.
- Policy responses and climate adaptation measures in relation to climate mobility: safeguarding the right to remain in one’s home region.
- The role of universities, human rights education and research in advancing climate justice and mobility rights.
Contributions grounded in regional experiences across the Global Campus regional programs, as well as comparative and interdisciplinary analyses, are particularly encouraged. Submissions that do not directly address the special theme but fall within the journal’s general scope will also be considered for inclusion in the next issue.
Submission Categories
Manuscripts may be submitted under the following categories:
Long Manuscripts: Manuscripts in this category are expected to engage with the theme and literature comprehensively and offer an innovative reassessment of the current understanding of that theme. It is advisable, though not necessary, to choose a theme of contemporary importance and in areas of the journal’s focus. Purely theoretical pieces are also welcome.
(Between 5000 and 8000 words, inclusive of references.)
Short Manuscripts: Short Manuscripts are far more concise in scope. These manuscripts usually deal with a particular issue and argue that the issue must be conceptualised differently. They are more engaging and make a more easily identifiable, concrete argument. Authors can focus on Human Rights Education at Universities and specific manuscripts can be submitted on education programmes, academic freedom, research, methodology, teaching, etc. Manuscripts on the role of the university in advancing democracy, human rights, the environment, etc. are also preferred.
(Between 1500 and 3000 words, inclusive of references.)
Review Essays, Book Reviews, and Reviews in General: Reviews should focus on texts published in the past three years; older books may be accepted if the author can justify why a review would be timely and a good fit for the journal. Review essays can be made of multiple books. Reviews of films, exhibitions, multimedia, and other media related to human rights and democracy will be accepted. Reviews inform readers about current advances in the field and encourage productive discourse.
(Submissions should be less than 1,500 words in length (up to 3,000 words for review essays), describing the book’s arguments and providing a critical analysis of its strengths and weaknesses.)
Submission Guidelines
GCHRJ requests that the contributors comply with the following guidelines:
♦ All manuscripts should be original and should not be simultaneously considered by any other publication.
♦ The deadline for submitting manuscripts for the tenth volume (2026) is 16 November 2026.
♦ All manuscripts must conform to the style conventions of the journal (see below).
◊ Must be submitted as a Word document (.doc or .docx);
◊ Must be consistently written in British English;
◊ Include an abstract (summarizing the article, including its aim, and a clear description of its findings) of between 250 and 300 words. The abstract should include at least five keywords;
◊ Include a brief biography indicating academic qualifications and current professional position, and email contact address;
◊ Use Times New Roman, 12 pt, 1.5 spacing, 1-inch gap on all four sides;
◊ Adhere to the Author-Date system of the Chicago Manual of Style.
(Note: We will accept articles for review in another referenced style on the understanding that the author will reformat the article during the review process.)
Submission Procedure
GCHRJ only accepts electronic submissions. Submissions must be completed by creating an author account on our website https://www.gchrj.net/. We do not accept manuscripts submitted via other means.
Editorial Timeline
At GCHRJ, we strive to comply with the highest levels of editorial independence and aim to reflect such a policy in our editorial processes. After the deadline of the call for papers elapses, GCHRJ follows the following timeline:
Round One: Internal Review (2 weeks)
Our Editorial Team oversees the internal review of all submitted manuscripts. Once a submission is received, the team internally assesses the quality, and relevance and foresees the academic contribution of the manuscript. If accepted, the submission is sent for an independent peer review.
Round Two: Peer Review (6 weeks)
GCHRJ follows a strict double-blind peer review process where the identities of both the author and reviewer are kept confidential from one another. Our Editorial Board will ensure that the reviewer has sufficient knowledge and academic expertise in the subject matters of the assigned manuscript.
Screened submissions are subjected to peer review by at least two independent experts in the field. Following the completion of the peer review process, the outcome is forwarded to the authors with the reviewers’ decision on the manuscripts. If requested by the reviewer, the authors are expected to revise their manuscripts in line with the comments received. Irrespective of the outcome of the peer review, the GCHRJ Editorial Board reserves the final right to accept or reject any publication.
Round Three: Editing and Publication (8 weeks)
Upon receiving the revised manuscript from the authors, the Editorial Team assesses whether the comments of the peer-reviewers have been satisfactorily addressed. Once this is done, the manuscript is copy-edited as per the journal’s prescribed style. Following confirmation by the authors of the final set of edits, the manuscript is typeset for publication.