About the series

This Cambridge Elements Series provides a platform for timely and rigorous analysis on a range of topics related to Central and Eastern Europe, the Balkans, the Caucasus, and Central Asia. It encourages methodological diversity and original research. While advancing a deep knowledge of the local context, it also speaks to broader political science literatures by engaging with theories that travel across regions. The series also seeks to shape policy implications for countries facing similar conditions. It spearheads the decolonization of scholarship by placing greater emphasis on understanding the politics and agency of smaller states.

Individual Elements assess how lessons derived from the region apply to foundational theories in political science. We value scholarship which explores linkages on multiple levels – subnational and national level politics, regional interactions, transnational linkages, and state behavior in the international arena. Elements publish original research. 

Submission Guidelines

If you are interested in writing an Element for the Politics and Society from Central Europe series, email editorscambridgeelementspsceca@gmail.com and copy one or more of the four Elements co-editors.   

We require two documents: 

1. A proposal and 
2. A draft of the Element.  

The proposal is expected to be 2,500 words. The draft of the Element should be in the range of 10,000-12,000 words, including bibliography. The Element draft can be one or more short chapters or a short version of the entire proposed Element. Elements publish original research. We do not accept previously published work or manuscripts under review as ‘draft of the Element'.

We will only consider submissions that contain both a draft and a proposal.  

Proposal
The proposal should provide the following information:  

1. Summary of the argument 
2. Justification why this research question is important 
3. Discussion of the importance of the Element. What is innovative about it? Briefly discuss how the Element will advance state of knowledge of Central Europe, Eastern Europe, Balkans, Russia, Caucuses and Central Asia. 
4. Brief description of the methodology and the data. 
5. A brief author bio providing the name, affiliation, contact information and the career stage of the author.  
6. A short overview of all chapters intended to be in the Element.   There is no requirement as to the length of the specific sub-parts of the proposal, as long as the seven parts summarily do not exceed the 2,500-word maximum.   

Element Draft  

The draft of the proposed Element should be 10,000 - 12,000 words long, including the bibliography. Manuscripts that are significantly shorter or longer will not be considered.  The draft could include a chapter that describes the theoretical argument of the whole Element or a chapter that showcases a central empirical contribution of the Element. The goal of the draft should be to demonstrate in detail that the argument and the evidence are feasible and compelling and that the Element will have both theoretical and empirical rigour. 

These materials will be used to help the series editors decide on whether or not to recommend an initial contract, with publication conditional on the final complete manuscript being approved by peer review.