Publishing experiences of researchers in the developing world: An analysis of submissions to the Review of Development Economics, January 2015 to April 2022

Abstract

AbstractResearchers based in poorer countries typically face major challenges in publishing their work in international journals, compared to those faced by researchers in the wealthier countries of Europe and North America. This paper studies this issue based on the experience of papers submitted to the Review of Development Economics, an important international development economics journal. It presents an analysis of submissions and success in publication, based on the fortunes of all papers submitted to the journal between 2015 and April 2022, disaggregated by the country in which the corresponding author is based. Authors based in low and middle income countries accounted for 33% of publications in this period, though they accounted for 61% of the submissions received. A main factor was that these papers were significantly less likely to be sent for review by the journal; if reviewed, they were also less likely to be accepted than papers from authors in high income countries, though that differential is much less stark. This analysis is presented in the interests of transparency and to encourage discussion, but also to raise issues the journal needs to address. The paper finishes by reviewing, based on co‐editor experience over this period, issues and potential responses.