International Negotiation
A Journal of Theory and Practice

Scope

This is an era of dramatic change in international affairs. We observe unprecedented examples of interdependence in the fields of environment, trade, economics, politics and security, for instance, alongside violent demonstrations of nationalist, ethnic and religious divisiveness. These contradictory trends often seek resolution through the mechanism of international negotiation.

International negotiation and mediation have become a prevalent form of international activity. They are the principal nonviolent means by which both official and unofficial actors resolve or manage international disputes and search for mutually acceptable agreements that satisfy joint goals. International Negotiation: A Journal of Theory and Practice seeks to examine this activity from many perspectives, to enhance its theoretical foundations and advance its practical application.

While the practice of international negotiation has progressed, research also has expanded rapidly, as have the number of interested academic and practitioner communities. International Negotiation draws upon scholars from the fields of political science, history, law, sociology, psychology, anthropology, economics, public policy, mathematics, and business administration, among others. From the practitioner side, negotiators and mediators now hail not only from foreign ministries, but from all departments and agencies of government, as well as from a wide range of non-state organizations. The journal seeks to involve and support all aspects of this diverse audience.

International Negotiation addresses the processes of negotiations concerned with political, security, environmental, ethnic, economic, business, legal, scientific, and cultural issues and conflicts among nations, international and regional organizations, multinational corporations and other non-state actors. Conceptually, the journal confronts the difficult task of developing interdisciplinary theories and models of the process and how that process can lead to meaningful outcomes. Analytically, International Negotiation publishes a blend of rigorous original research studies, traditional historical and case approaches, and conceptual pieces that contribute to the expanding body of knowledge in the field. Overall, the practical objective of the journal is to identify, understand and explain effective and efficient international negotiation and mediation processes that yield long-lasting, flexible, and implementable outcomes.

We believe that an effective way to address these questions is to devote entire issues of the journal to the study of a particular problem. Thus, the journal consists primarily of focused thematic issues that review the state-of-the-art on a selected topic, introduce original research, present new conceptualizations and approaches, and identify future directions for research. These thematic issues seek to bring coherence and an integrated perspective to a particular subject. We encourage researchers and practitioners to submit a brief prospectus for thematic issues that they propose to guest edit. Periodically, the journal devotes an issue to the wide array of new research in the field through submitted papers. The journal aims at excellence and originality and, so, will submit all papers to peer review prior to acceptance.

This is truly an international journal. It is focused on international negotiation issues and edited, contributed to, and read by scholars and practitioners worldwide. Our Editorial and International Advisory Boards represent an international cross-section of the field. We seek the support of all who can help to advance the research, understanding, and practice of international negotiation processes that facilitate cooperation and resolve disputes.

International Negotiation is published three times per year by the Martinus Nijhoff Publishers division of Brill Academic Publishers (the Netherlands) and is produced in association with the Conflict Management Program, Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies, The Johns Hopkins University, Washington, DC. The generous support of the Jacob and Hilda Blaustein Foundation is gratefully acknowledged.