Peer Review in Philosophy Journals

The research project examines peer review procedures in philosophical journals in the German-speaking academic context. At its core is the question of how peer review functions in practice, how it is perceived by the actors involved, and which normative expectations are associated with this process. Peer review is widely regarded as a central instrument of academic quality assurance and an important mechanism of self-regulation within scholarly communities. At the same time, it is accompanied by significant expectations as well as criticism—particularly with regard to fairness, transparency, diversity, and efficiency.

Against this background, the project aims to develop a differentiated empirical account of current peer review practices in philosophy. It is particularly interested in how authors, reviewers, and editors understand their respective roles, which functions they attribute to the process, and where they identify challenges or a need for reform. In addition to providing a descriptive assessment, the study also investigates normative orientations: What features should a good peer review system have? And where do ideal conceptions diverge from perceived realities?

Methodologically, the study combines a quantitative online survey with qualitative interviews. Philosophers at different career stages are anonymously asked about their experiences with submissions, reviews, and editorial decisions. In addition, semi-structured interviews are conducted with editors of philosophical journals in order to gain insights into decision-making processes, selection criteria, and structural conditions. The aim is to make visible both widely shared assessments and more differentiated perspectives on editorial practice.

The project sees itself as a contribution to an evidence-based reflection on quality assurance in philosophy. It does not seek to offer premature evaluations, but rather to establish an empirical foundation on which further discussions about possible developments of the peer review system can build.

The study is conducted by Gottfried Schweiger at the Zentrum für Ethik und Armutsforschung for the  AG Philosophical Journals within the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Philosophie.

Link to the online survey:
 https://survey.plus.ac.at/index.php/123456