Working on Europe, working paper series

Why publish in the Working on Europe Paper Series?

The common denominator of all papers is to create a deeper understanding of Europe and European issues. In terms of methodology, we welcome both qualitative and quantitative research. The goal of the Working Paper Series is to stimulate debate and function as a laboratory for studying European issues.

This series publishes new and original research on a wide range of topics in European affairs to stimulate theoretical and empirical interdisciplinary academic debate. Moreover, the series aims to encourage and promote dialogue with policymakers, other stakeholders such as academics, NGOs or industry partners, as well as citizens from Europe and beyond. We offer the possibility for authors with published working papers to couple the publication of their paper with outreach events such as an open dialogue with an expert in your field, a panel discussion or roundtable, which could include other academics or policymakers, or a podcast interview to discuss the findings, the potential policy relevance, and the societal implications of their research. These types of promotional events can take place either online, offline or in a hybrid format depending on the preferences of the author and offer an exciting opportunity for authors to extend the reach of their research.

Working papers are a pre-publication of scientific research that are open access. This means the work can be still in progress and by publishing working papers open access, we aim to provide a platform for scientific work that is aimed at a wider audience outside of academia. Moreover, alongside publishing articles we aim to provide a space for other unique formats – for example, research notes, papers that are not always suitable for conferences or journal submissions, and other formats are welcome as long as the work clearly communicates research and findings according to the common conventions of the specific discipline. For example, many disciplines communicate papers that include an introduction, background/literature review/theory, methodology, results, and conclusion.

The advantages of publishing your working paper with us:

• Benefit from comments by experts on European Studies.
• It will be double blind peer-reviewed by one reviewer and additional comments provided by a member of the Editorial Team.
• Once accepted, your paper will be published within a few days.
• It will be disseminated and promoted through our communication channels such as the Studio Europa Maastricht Facebook and Twitter pages.
• Open Access, it’s not behind a pay wall.
• Your paper could have a wide impact after being promoted to relevant stakeholders through a dedicated event.

Who can submit a paper?

We invite scientific researchers and practitioners from various disciplines to submit their work-in-progress. This could be individuals, researchers, or practitioners working in areas such as, but not limited to, law, sociology, health sciences, politics, economics, technology, and history. We particularly encourage both senior and junior scholars, including PhD candidates, to submit papers arising from their research.

Review Process

The peer review process is conducted ‘double-blind’, this means that neither the reviewer nor the author knows each other’s identity.

The paper titles and abstracts will first be reviewed by the Managing Editor(s) who will then send the main document to the relevant members of the Editorial Team based on the theme, topic and/or discipline of the Working Paper.

The Editorial Team will review the main document in full and determine whether the paper meets the submission guidelines, the standard and quality of the Working Paper Series, and offers a contribution to knowledge in the domain. Based on this assessment, the paper will either be desk rejected or accepted for peer review.

If the working paper is accepted for peer review, the author can expect to receive one full review from a blind peer reviewer and additional comments from a member of the Editorial Team.

Requirements for submissions:

• The title page (including abstract) and main document are to be submitted separately, with the main document being completely anonymous.
• Papers need to be written in English (UK) at a publishable level.
• They should be between 3,000 to 15,000 words in length, including tables, notes, and references.
• They should follow a format that is in accordance with the common standards for your discipline or the type of submission; for example, “research notes” should be shorter than a full research paper.
• Papers should follow the Working on Europe Paper Series Style Guide.
• Scientific researchers can submit their work to the MWoE and CERiM editors through Joyce Habets  (research@studioeuropamaastricht.nl).

Publication and copyright

Accepted papers will be published on this website, as well as announced and promoted through the various communication channels of the publishers. Authors will receive the PDF file of the published paper and are encouraged to disseminate their paper widely. If the paper, at a later stage, gets published in a scientific journal or book, it could be withdrawn from this website.

In terms of copyright, both the publishers and the author(s) will retain and share this right. The possibility to remove or archive previously published Working on Europe Papers from our website at a later stage in the view of journal publication will be made available upon request to the editors.

Editors

Mathieu Segers (Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences / Studio Europa, Maastricht University) – Editor-in-Chief 

Joyce Habets (Studio Europa, Maastricht University) – Coordinator       

Ivan Rubinić (Studio Europa, Maastricht University) – Editorial Team

Clara Weinhardt (Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences / CERiM, Maastricht University) – Editorial Team

Alexandra Masciantonio (Studio Europa, Maastricht University) – Editorial Team

Julia Reinold (Studio Europa, Maastricht University) – Editorial Team

Koen van Zon (Studio Europa, Maastricht University) – Editorial Team

Joris Melman (Studio Europa, Maastricht University) – Editorial Team