About the Journal of Political Studies
Our History
The Journal of Political Studies is one of the longest-running and most highly regarded undergraduate research journals in the country. We are proud to be entirely student-run, from our editorial board to our graphic designers. The JPS is published by the UBC Political Science Student Association in partnership with the UBC Department of Political Science, and we have been in print for the past 20 years.
Each year we publish the best undergraduate political science papers by current UBC students. We publish papers that span a wide variety of subfields which include Canadian and US politics, international relations, political theory and comparative politics. Papers are selected on the basis of originality of research, conceptual innovation, topicality of subject matter, and overall quality of writing.
The Journal is a fantastic chance to gain formal experience in academic publishing, and students keen to take part in and learn from a rigorous peer-reviewed editing process are highly encouraged to contact us using the contact form on this website.
What’s the Process?
The editing process begins with blind review, where editorial teams evaluate the overall strength of arguments, conclusions, and engagement with theory before debating which papers to cut or keep.
In the second round, editors narrow the list to the strongest and most original work, aiming for a diverse range of subfields and ensuring each piece could succeed in faculty review.
Selected authors are then paired with a team of 3-4 editors, who collaborate closely with them to incorporate feedback, strengthen arguments, and refine style—always with the author’s final approval on changes.
After faculty review and final editorial discussion, the board votes to select papers for publication, which are then copy-edited and prepared for design. This multi-stage process ensures fairness, rigour, and a collaborative approach that brings out the best in every submission.