Cross-border

Cross Border: Jurnal Kajian Perbatasan Antarnegara accepts manuscripts that contribute to scholarly understanding of border studies and cross-border issues. Submissions must align with the journal’s scope, which encompasses border studies, international relations, law, politics, economics, sociology, anthropology, culture, education, security, regional development, public policy, and other issues related to border regions and cross-border affairs.

The journal welcomes disciplinary and interdisciplinary contributions that advance theoretical understanding, examine contemporary issues, or explore relationships between border communities, national and international policies, institutions, and cross-border interactions.

Manuscripts must be original, previously unpublished, and not under consideration by another journal. Accepted manuscript types include field research articles, library-based research articles, book reviews, and systematic literature reviews.

1. Field Research Articles

Field research articles report empirical findings derived from research involving individuals, communities, government institutions, border authorities, businesses, organizations, or other relevant settings in border regions and cross-border contexts. Studies may employ qualitative, quantitative, or mixed methods, using appropriate data collection techniques such as observation, interviews, surveys, focus group discussions, and documentary analysis.

Research may examine border community dynamics, cross-border trade, migration, international cooperation, social and cultural interactions, border governance, regional development, security issues, public services, environmental management, or other topics within the journal’s scope. Manuscripts must clearly explain the research problem and objectives, their relationship to previous scholarship, data sources, sampling or participant selection where applicable, data collection and analysis methods, and relevant ethical considerations.

Findings must be discussed analytically to demonstrate their theoretical or practical contribution to the relevant field. Authors must acknowledge methodological limitations, consider the geographical and socio-political context of the research, and ensure that conclusions are supported by the evidence presented.

2. Library-Based Research Articles

Library-based research articles examine legal, political, economic, social, cultural, educational, or international relations questions through critical analysis of written and documentary sources. These may include legislation, international agreements, government regulations, diplomatic documents, policy documents, statistical reports, historical archives, books, scholarly articles, institutional publications, and other relevant documentary materials.

Studies may adopt doctrinal, conceptual, comparative, historical, interdisciplinary, or other appropriate analytical approaches. They may address border governance, international relations, international law, regional cooperation, migration policies, border security, economic integration, cultural identity, social transformation, or the relationship between national policies and cross-border practices.

Manuscripts must explain the rationale for source selection, the boundaries of the inquiry, the approach adopted, and the procedures used for analysis or interpretation. Where relevant, authors should distinguish primary sources from secondary commentary and explain the authority, reliability, and contextual relevance of the sources examined. The discussion must develop a coherent argument, interpretation, or synthesis that contributes to scholarship. A descriptive compilation of sources without critical analysis is insufficient.

3. Book Reviews

Book reviews provide critical assessments of scholarly books relevant to border studies, international relations, law, politics, economics, sociology, anthropology, culture, education, security, regional development, or related fields. Reviews may address recent publications or significant works that remain relevant to scholarly developments and contemporary debates concerning border regions and cross-border affairs.

Manuscripts must provide complete bibliographic information, including the author or editor, title, publisher, publication year, page count, and ISBN where available. Reviews should outline the book’s central arguments and scope, then evaluate its approach, use of sources and evidence, strengths, limitations, and contribution to the relevant field.

Reviewers should situate the book within broader scholarly debates and explain its significance for relevant academic, policy, institutional, or socio-cultural contexts. Reviews must go beyond summarizing or promoting the book. Any relationships or interests that could influence the assessment must be disclosed.

4. Systematic Literature Review Articles

Systematic literature review (SLR) articles synthesize previous research on clearly defined questions within the journal’s scope through systematic and transparent procedures for searching, selecting, appraising, and analyzing the literature.

Manuscripts must specify the sources or databases searched, search strategies and terms, search dates, publication period covered, inclusion and exclusion criteria, and procedures for screening and selecting studies. Authors must also describe data extraction procedures, study quality appraisal appropriate to the review’s objectives and the types of evidence included, and the synthesis methods employed. The selection process must be clearly documented, including the number of studies at each stage and the reasons for exclusion following full-text assessment.

The review must identify patterns in findings, areas of agreement and disagreement, methodological limitations, and knowledge gaps. It should explain the implications of the synthesis for theory, further research, policy, or practice in the relevant fields of border studies, international relations, law, politics, economics, social sciences, or other related disciplines. Where studies span different countries, border regions, jurisdictions, or institutional settings, these contextual differences must be considered when interpreting findings. Bibliometric analysis may complement the review but does not replace substantive synthesis of the included studies.

Presentation and Assessment Requirements

Manuscript structure should reflect the characteristics of each submission type and comply with the journal’s author guidelines. Field research articles, library-based research articles, and SLR articles must adequately explain their methods or analytical procedures. Book reviews should adopt a structure that supports critical assessment of the work under review.

All manuscripts undergo editorial screening and review in accordance with the journal’s policies. Publication decisions consider alignment with the journal’s scope, originality, methodological or analytical rigor, appropriate use of evidence and sources, clarity of presentation, and scholarly contribution.

The journal particularly values manuscripts that provide meaningful insights into border regions, cross-border interactions, international cooperation, and the social, political, economic, legal, and cultural dynamics of communities living in border areas.