The NZ Social Science Journal System: characteristics and visibility

Academic journals are central to the social science knowledge of any society. The set of social science

journals sourced in New Zealand or focusing on New Zealand is described in terms of the characteristics

of its constituent journals, pointing to ways the system has changed over time. An attempt is

made to assess the adequacy of the system as a whole, as well as explaining trends in its development.

Without expanding this study considerably it seems possible to draw conclusions that demand

for NZ publishing is reasonably balanced with its supply, although there seem to be some areas of

considerable supply and a few where there are apparent gaps in coverage. When it comes to the

actual operation of journals there may be more strain, with reviewing often requiring many failed

attempts before sufficient referees are located. There have been a considerable number of journal

‘failures’ but for the remaining journals their futures seem well-secured, although given the pace

of technological developments the longer-term future for the whole of academic publishing seems

clouded.