Category: Journal: International Authors

Do I need to be in India or South Asia to submit?

No. LJLPS accepts submissions from any country. See our country-specific submission pages, linked from the international call for papers hub, for a sense of what we’re especially interested in from different regions.

Do I have to pay anything to submit?

No. Submission and standard review are free. The article processing charge (APC) applies only after your paper is accepted.

Can I pay in a currency other than Indian rupees?

Yes. The APC is listed in both INR and USD, and international card payments are supported. See our foreign-currency payment guide.

What citation style should I use?

Bluebook or OSCOLA for law papers (your choice, kept consistent); APA for other social-science papers.

How long does review take?

Standard review has no guaranteed turnaround beyond the general window on the peer review policy page. A paid fast-track option gives a faster first decision.

Is LJLPS indexed anywhere?

Published articles get a DOI and are discoverable via Google Scholar. We do not claim indexing we do not currently have, so please check the journal pages directly for the latest status rather than assuming.

Can I submit work that was part of my degree?

Usually yes, since a degree submission is not normally treated as prior publication — but disclose it and check our author declaration requirements.

Where do I start?

Go to the submission page or read the author guidelines first.

A dissertation chapter and a journal article are different documents, even when they cover the same ground. Here’s how to convert one into the other.

Cut the throat-clearing

Dissertation chapters often open with pages of background that a journal reader doesn’t need. An article should get to the research question within the first few paragraphs.

Narrow the scope

A chapter is usually one part of a larger argument. Pull out the single strongest, most self-contained piece of that argument rather than trying to compress the whole chapter.

Rewrite the literature review

A dissertation literature review demonstrates breadth of reading. A journal article’s literature review should instead justify exactly why your specific question hasn’t already been answered.

Check originality carefully

If any part of the chapter has already been submitted elsewhere (for a degree or another publication), say so where required and make sure the journal you’re submitting to allows it — most will, since a degree submission is not usually treated as prior publication, but confirm with the specific journal.

Match the house style

Switch citation style if needed (see our OSCOLA vs Bluebook vs APA guide) and follow the target journal’s formatting exactly before submitting.

Once it’s ready, see the LJLPS author guidelines and the submission page.

If you are looking for a comparative law topic to write up for an international, open-access journal, here are areas that tend to produce strong, publishable papers — and that fit well with LJLPS’s interest in comparative and South Asian-adjacent scholarship.

Constitutional and public law

Judicial review standards across jurisdictions; emergency powers and constitutional limits; federalism and centre-state (or equivalent) relations; comparative approaches to fundamental rights adjudication.

Technology and data law

Comparing data-protection frameworks (for example, the EU’s GDPR, India’s DPDP Act, and your own jurisdiction’s equivalent); platform liability and intermediary rules; AI governance approaches.

Criminal justice and human rights

Comparative sentencing frameworks; pre-trial detention practices; victims’ rights regimes; comparative approaches to a specific offence category.

Commercial and corporate law

Comparative insolvency frameworks; corporate governance codes; cross-border contract enforcement; comparative approaches to arbitration.

Policy and social sciences

Comparative labour-law reform; comparative approaches to a social-welfare scheme; comparative environmental regulation.

Whatever the topic, keep the comparison genuinely analytical — not just a side-by-side description of two systems — and ground every claim in primary sources. See the call for papers to check current thematic priorities, if any, before you start writing.

You don’t need to wait until after graduation to publish. Here’s a realistic path for LL.B. and LL.M. students anywhere in the world who want a genuine, peer-reviewed publication while still studying.

Start from work you’ve already done

A strong seminar paper, moot memo argument, or dissertation chapter is often most of the way to a publishable article. The job is usually cutting it down, sharpening the research question, and adding a literature review — not starting from scratch.

Pick a realistic scope

A focused analysis of one statute, one line of cases, or one comparative question is easier to do well — and more publishable — than an attempt to cover an entire area of law.

Avoid predatory and no-review venues

If a journal promises certain or near-instant acceptance, that is not a credential worth having. Look for a stated review process and a real editorial board.

Consider a comparative angle

Journals with an international readership, including LJLPS, are often particularly interested in comparative work — placing your own jurisdiction’s law or policy alongside another’s.

Where to start

Read our guide on turning a dissertation chapter into a publishable paper, then see the LJLPS call for papers and author guidelines.

International authors new to LJLPS often ask what actually happens to a manuscript after submission. Here is the process in plain terms.

Initial screening

Every submission is checked for fit with the journal’s scope, basic formatting compliance, and originality (including a similarity check) before it goes to review.

Review

Manuscripts are reviewed by the editorial board or invited subject-matter experts. Standard review has no fixed turnaround advertised beyond the general screening-to-decision window stated on the peer review policy page; a paid fast-track option gives a faster first decision for authors who need one.

Decision

You will receive one of: accept, accept with minor revisions, revise and resubmit, or reject. Reviewer comments, where given, are shared with the decision.

Revision

If revisions are requested, you resubmit within the stated window. Fast-track submissions get a priority re-check of the revised version.

What payment does and doesn’t affect

Paying for fast-track review buys a faster decision and priority handling — it does not influence whether a paper is accepted. The APC itself is charged only after acceptance and plays no role in the review decision.

Publication

Accepted, APC-cleared papers are published online with a DOI, indexed for Google Scholar discovery, and a Certificate of Publication is available on request.

Authors submitting to Indian open-access journals from outside India often want to know exactly when they pay, how much, and in what currency. Here is how it works at LJLPS.

When you pay

You are never asked to pay to be considered. The article processing charge (APC) is invoiced only after your paper has been peer-reviewed and accepted.

How much

Issue 1 is free. From Issue 2 onward, the APC is priced both in Indian rupees and in US dollars, and scales modestly with the number of authors on a paper (see the current fee table for exact figures, since these are reviewed periodically).

How you pay

LJLPS accepts international card payments for the APC. A payment link is sent to accepted authors; you do not need an Indian bank account or an Indian payment method.

A note for authors in certain countries

Due to current international payment restrictions, card payments from a small number of countries may not process successfully. If your card is declined for reasons unrelated to the card itself, contact the editorial office through the submission page to discuss an alternative payment arrangement.

Fast-track review fee

This is a separate, optional fee for a faster first decision, payable at submission if you choose that track — it does not replace or guarantee the APC outcome.

If you are submitting a law or social-science paper internationally, picking the right citation style — and using it consistently — matters more than most authors expect.

OSCOLA

The Oxford University Standard for Citation of Legal Authorities is widely used in the UK, Ireland, and across the Commonwealth. It uses footnotes rather than in-text citations, with a separate table of cases and legislation.

Bluebook

The Bluebook is the dominant citation system in the United States and is also widely taught and used in Indian law schools. It likewise relies on footnotes, with its own conventions for case names, reporters, and pinpoint citations.

APA

The American Psychological Association style is standard across most social sciences outside law — sociology, political science, criminology, public policy. It uses in-text author-date citations with a reference list, not footnotes.

What LJLPS accepts

Law papers submitted to the Lexfolio Journal of Law, Policy and Social Sciences may use either Bluebook or OSCOLA — your choice, but kept consistent throughout the paper. Papers in other social sciences should use APA. Quote statutory or judicial wording directly in quotation marks with a pinpoint citation rather than paraphrasing closely.

See the author guidelines for full formatting requirements, or go to the submission page.

Open-access (OA) publishing has grown quickly in India, and international authors considering an Indian OA journal often have the same set of questions.

What “open access” actually means here

An open-access article is freely readable online without a subscription or paywall. The journal’s running costs are usually covered by an article processing charge (APC) paid by authors, rather than by subscription fees paid by readers.

When you pay, and what you’re paying for

A legitimate OA journal charges the APC after your paper is accepted, not before or during review. At LJLPS, review is free, and the APC applies only once a paper has passed peer review; a free standard review and a paid fast-track option both exist for the review step itself.

What to check before submitting anywhere

Does the journal name an editorial team and describe its review process. Does it have an ISSN. Does it state its APC clearly, rather than asking you to pay to find out whether you’re accepted. Does it allow reasonable turnaround for genuine peer review rather than promising acceptance in days.

Licensing

LJLPS publishes under Creative Commons (CC BY), meaning you keep authorship credit while allowing others to reuse your work with attribution. Check the open access and licensing page for the exact terms.

Ready to look further? See the call for papers or the APC page.

This is a plain, step-by-step walkthrough of submitting a manuscript to the Lexfolio Journal of Law, Policy and Social Sciences (LJLPS), written for authors submitting from outside India.

Step 1: Confirm your topic fits the journal’s scope

LJLPS covers law, public policy and allied social sciences, including comparative and international legal scholarship. Check the aims and scope page if you are unsure.

Step 2: Format your manuscript

Bluebook or OSCOLA for law papers (pick one and stay consistent); APA for other social-science papers. Keep the paper original and unpublished.

Step 3: Choose your review track

Standard review is free. A paid fast-track review is available if you need a faster first decision; the fees page states current timelines and cost.

Step 4: Fill in the submission form

The submission form asks for your manuscript file, author details, and an originality declaration. You will receive a manuscript ID (format LJLPS-YYYY-NNNN) and an acknowledgement email.

Step 5: Pay the APC only after acceptance

You are never charged to be considered. If your paper is accepted, you will be sent a payment link for the applicable APC; international card payments are supported.

Step 6: Respond to reviewer comments

If revisions are requested, submit your revised manuscript within the stated window. Fast-track submissions get a priority revision re-check.

Step 7: Publication

Once finalised, your paper is published online with a DOI and is discoverable via Google Scholar. You can request a Certificate of Publication afterward.

If you are based outside India and want to publish legal or policy research in an Indian journal, the process is largely the same as submitting anywhere else, with a few India-specific points worth knowing in advance.

1. Check the journal is genuinely peer-reviewed

India has a large number of journals, and quality varies widely. Before submitting anywhere, check whether the journal states a real editorial and review process, publishes an ISSN, and does not promise guaranteed or near-instant acceptance. A journal that accepts almost everything it receives is not doing you a favour.

2. Understand the fee structure

Many Indian open-access journals charge an article processing charge (APC) only after acceptance, not to be considered. At LJLPS (Lexfolio Journal of Law, Policy and Social Sciences), Issue 1 is free, and from later issues the APC is charged only once a paper has passed peer review.

3. Pick the right citation style

Law papers submitted to Indian journals are usually expected in Bluebook or OSCOLA; other social-science papers in APA. Confirm which the specific journal accepts — LJLPS accepts either Bluebook or OSCOLA for law papers, kept consistent throughout.

4. Prepare your manuscript

Original, unpublished work; a clear abstract; a stated research question or thesis; proper footnoting of statutes and case law with pinpoint citations. Avoid submitting the same paper to multiple journals at once unless the journal explicitly allows it.

5. Submit and track

Most Indian journals, including LJLPS, use an online submission form rather than email-only submission. You should receive a manuscript ID and an acknowledgement; use this to follow up if you don’t hear back within the stated review window.

See our step-by-step LJLPS submission guide, or go straight to the submission page.

The Lexfolio Journal of Law, Policy and Social Sciences (LJLPS) invites manuscripts from law faculty, graduate students, and researchers based in New Zealand.

Scope

We welcome comparative law, international law, human rights, and policy scholarship, including papers placing New Zealand’s legal or regulatory framework in comparative perspective with South Asian systems.

Why publish with LJLPS

The Lexfolio Journal of Law, Policy and Social Sciences (LJLPS) is an open-access, peer-reviewed journal. Issue 1 is free to submit to, and the article processing charge (APC) applies only after a paper is accepted. Standard peer review is free; a paid fast-track review option exists if you need a quicker decision.

What we are looking for

LJLPS welcomes comparative, doctrinal, empirical and policy-oriented scholarship in law and the social sciences, including work engaging with South Asian legal systems from a comparative perspective, as well as general jurisprudence, constitutional law, human rights, technology law, and public policy papers.

Formatting and citation

Law papers should follow Bluebook or OSCOLA citation; papers in other social sciences should follow APA style. Manuscripts should be original, unpublished, and not under review elsewhere.

How to submit

If you are looking for an open-access, peer-reviewed outlet for comparative or international legal scholarship without an upfront submission fee, LJLPS is worth considering.

Read the full call for papers, review the author guidelines, and check the article processing charges. Submit via the submission page.

The Lexfolio Journal of Law, Policy and Social Sciences (LJLPS) invites manuscripts from law faculty, graduate students, and researchers based in Australia.

Scope

We welcome comparative law, international law, human rights, and policy scholarship, including papers placing Australia’s legal or regulatory framework in comparative perspective with South Asian systems.

Why publish with LJLPS

The Lexfolio Journal of Law, Policy and Social Sciences (LJLPS) is an open-access, peer-reviewed journal. Issue 1 is free to submit to, and the article processing charge (APC) applies only after a paper is accepted. Standard peer review is free; a paid fast-track review option exists if you need a quicker decision.

What we are looking for

LJLPS welcomes comparative, doctrinal, empirical and policy-oriented scholarship in law and the social sciences, including work engaging with South Asian legal systems from a comparative perspective, as well as general jurisprudence, constitutional law, human rights, technology law, and public policy papers.

Formatting and citation

Law papers should follow Bluebook or OSCOLA citation; papers in other social sciences should follow APA style. Manuscripts should be original, unpublished, and not under review elsewhere.

How to submit

If you are looking for an open-access, peer-reviewed outlet for comparative or international legal scholarship without an upfront submission fee, LJLPS is worth considering.

Read the full call for papers, review the author guidelines, and check the article processing charges. Submit via the submission page.