Critical Policy Studies

Aims & Scope

Critical Policy Studies brings contemporary theoretical and methodological discussions, both normative and empirical, to bear on the understanding and analysis of public policy, at local, national and global levels.

The journal offers a unique forum for researchers, policy-makers and practitioners to challenge established accounts of policy-analytic methods, to explore alternative approaches to policy-making, and to promote democratic governance.

To this end, the journal concentrates on the relation of political and policy theory to specific practices of governance, in particular as they pertain to democratic governance, participatory practices, social justice and general public welfare.

This necessitates an emphasis on the interplay between qualitative and quantitative modes of inquiry.

The journal thus moves beyond narrow empirical approaches to pay special attention to interpretive, argumentative, discursive approaches to policy-making.

View Aims & Scope

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Metrics & Ranking

Impact Factor

Year	Value
2025	2.4
2024	1.90

SJR (SCImago Journal Rank)

Year	Value
2024	0.741

Quartile

Year	Value
2024	Q1

h-index

Year	Value
2024	43

Journal Rank

Year	Value
2024	7523

Journal Citation Indicator

Year	Value
2024	333

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Abstracting & Indexing

Journal is indexed in leading academic databases, ensuring global visibility and accessibility of our peer-reviewed research.

• Scopus
• Google Scholar
• Web of Science

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Subjects & Keywords

Journal’s research areas, covering key disciplines and specialized sub-topics in Social Sciences, designed to support cutting-edge academic discovery.

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Most Cited Articles

The Most Cited Articles section features the journal's most impactful research, based on citation counts. These articles have been referenced frequently by other researchers, indicating their significant contribution to their respective fields.

• Critical discourse analysis and critical policy studies

  Citation: 380

  Authors: Norman

• Cultural political economy and critical policy studies

  Citation: 298

  Authors: Bob

• Power, discourse, and policy: articulating a hegemony approach to critical policy studies

  Citation: 240

  Authors: David

• Speaking of change: why discourse is key to the dynamics of policy transformation

  Citation: 201

  Authors: Vivien A.

• Governance-driven democratization

  Citation: 194

  Authors: Mark E.

• Interpretation in policy analysis: On methods and practice

  Citation: 150

  Authors: Dvora

• Making climate change governable: accounting for carbon as sinks, credits and personal budgets

  Citation: 136

  Authors: Eva, Johannes

• EU agri-innovation policy: two contending visions of the bio-economy

  Citation: 120

  Authors: Les, Kean, Theo

• On academic capitalism

  Citation: 118

  Authors: Bob

• Making sense of sustainability transitions locally: how action research contributes to addressing societal challenges

  Citation: 106

  Authors: Julia Maria, Niko, Frank, Ines

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