Access to issues: issues up to and including 2015 are freely available in this archive. Issues from 2016 onward are available via CEEOL ↗.

Technical, linguistic, and bibliographic requirements for authors.

1. General conditions

• Articles are accepted in electronic format in doc/docx and pdf.
• Fonts: for Cyrillic, Latin, and Greek — Times New Roman, 12 pt.
• Articles are accepted for publication in Bulgarian and English.
• Each article should be accompanied by an abstract in the language of the publication at the beginning and in English (Abstract) at the end — up to 300 words each and up to 5 keywords/phrases (Keywords).
• The title of the article should be in CAPITAL LETTERS (including in the English abstract), and the author's name in lowercase.
• The author's name should be accompanied by an affiliation: institutional affiliation, academic degree, academic position, email address (preferably institutional), ORCID iD, Web of Science Researcher ID, formatted according to the provided example (see 4. Sample structuring).
  NB: The institution should be written without abbreviations everywhere (e.g., Department of Political Science — Sofia University "St. Kliment Ohridski").
• A brief biographical note (CV) about the author (approx. 150 words) in Bulgarian and English in free form: current academic status and institution, year of birth, main areas of research interest and specialization, defended doctorates (topic, year), main publications (books). We would be pleased to receive a photo of the author.
• Articles may be accompanied by illustrations — in color and black and white (color illustrations will only be included in the electronic version). Illustrations should be in jpg or tif format (minimum resolution 300 dpi), sent in separate files and inserted in the text at the appropriate locations.
• Each article is subject to double anonymous peer review, with the anonymous reviewer being from an institution different from that of the author under review.

2. Spelling requirements

• Titles of books, journals, newspapers (and others) in Bulgarian-language articles should be enclosed in quotation marks, not italicized, including those in Latin. In foreign-language articles, the corresponding norm should be followed.
• In Bulgarian-language articles, Bulgarian quotation marks („…") should be used. When there are quotes within quotes, all quotes should be opened and closed separately.
• Avoid the accumulation of brackets within brackets; if unavoidable, open and close each set separately: (…… (…)).
• Centuries should be written in Roman numerals (e.g., XIX century).
• Italics and bold may be used for different degrees of emphasis; underlining should be avoided, including in email addresses.
• There should be a clear distinction between a hyphen and a dash. The hyphen (-) is used in double names (K. Levi-Strauss, H.-G. Gadamer) or descriptions (historical-geographical context). Use a dash to indicate time periods (XIX–XX centuries) or pages (pp. 56–58). Use a hyphen for double issue numbers (no. 3-4).
• "Page" is abbreviated as "p." (not "pg.").
• The spelling of articles not in Bulgarian should follow the corresponding language norm.

3. Citation of sources

• It is desirable (except in cases with special considerations) to cite from an authoritative edition: the first edition of the work or the most complete (commented, annotated) collected/selected works of the author.
• Short quotations should be enclosed in quotation marks in the main text. Longer quotes should be formatted as a separate paragraph (block quote), without quotation marks, indented and separated by a blank line, with a mandatory reference to the source. Block quotes of poetry are formatted similarly, but in italics.
• Footnotes and bibliographic references should be placed at the bottom of the respective page, automatically inserted with consecutive numbering.
• In the case of multiple citations of a source — primary or secondary — the reference may be placed in the main text in a highly abbreviated form (a siglum or word), noted in a footnote at the first citation. Commonly accepted abbreviations for classical works or major multi-volume editions are allowed.

3.1. Bibliographic description in footnotes

The bibliographic description is placed in a footnote, with the author's last name inverted and in uppercase, while the first name is given as an initial. When referring to the same source multiple times, the full form is given only the first time; subsequent references include only the author if not consecutive (e.g., PETROV, A. Cit. work, p. 123), or without the author's name if consecutive (ibid., pp. 123–124). Citing a part of a book or an article in a collection is introduced with a dash and "In:". For periodicals, only a dash is used. When some parameters are missing (place, publisher, year): N.p., n.p., n.d.

Examples — footnote descriptions

• Books (monographs)
• WHORF, B. L. Language, Thought and Reality. Cambridge, Mass.: MIT Press, 1956, pp. 123–124.
• HORKHEIMER, M., T. W. ADORNO. Dialectic of Enlightenment. Philosophical Fragments. Trans. St. Yotov. Sofia: Gal-Iko, 1999, pp. 107–150.
• Part of a book
• KOLAROV, R. About the Author — Post Mortem. — In: Trials of Theory. Literary Dialogues. Comp. R. KOLAROV, M. DACHEV. Sofia: Aleksandar Panov, 2004, p. 222.
• NIETZSCHE, F. On Truth and Lies in an Extramoral Sense. — In: F. NIETZSCHE. Works in Three Volumes. Vol. 3. Ed. by K. Schlechta. Munich: Carl Hanser Verlag, 1956, pp. 309–323.
• Periodicals
• KONSTANTINOVICH, Z., F. RINER. Three Lines of Tradition in Central European Literary Discourse. Trans. B. Minkov. — Ezik i Literatura, LVIII, 2005, No. 1-2, pp. 85–95.
• Electronic publication
• DIMITROV, E. I. Literary Studies "On the Threshold". — LiterNet, No. 12 (73), 31.12.2005: https://liternet.bg/publish2/eivdimitrov/literaturovedenie.htm [retrieved 22.04.2021].

3.2. Literature

After the article, in the "Literature" section, the complete bibliographic data of all titles cited in footnotes are given, in their original language, arranged alphabetically, without numbering. First — in alphabetical order — the Cyrillic list is given, with each title followed by its transliteration in square brackets (BDS ISO 690; automatic transliteration: https://2cyr.com/?7). NB: "Sofia" is transliterated as "Sofia" (not "Sofiya"). Then, separated by a blank line, the English-language titles, and finally the Greek titles (if any), without transliteration.

Examples — "Literature" list

• AVERINTSEV, S. Preliminary Notes on the Study of Medieval Aesthetics. — In: S. AVERINTSEV. Early Byzantine Literature. Trans. E. Trendafilova. N.p.: Tavor, 2000, pp. 40–98. [AVERINTSEV, S. Predvaritelni belezhki kam izuchavaneto na srednovekovnata estetika. — V: AVERINTSEV, S. Rannovizantiyskata literatura. Prev. E. Trendafilova. B. m.: Tavor, 2000, s. 40–98.]
• KONSTANTINOVICH, Z., F. RINER. Three Lines of Tradition in Central European Literary Discourse. Trans. B. Minkov. — Ezik i Literatura, LVIII, 2005, No. 1-2, pp. 85–95.
• HORKHEIMER, M., T. W. ADORNO. Dialectic of Enlightenment. Trans. St. Yotov. Sofia: Gal-Iko, 1999. [HORKHAYMER, M., T. V. ADORNO. Dialektika na Prosveshtenieto. Prev. St. Yotov. Sofia: Gal-Iko, 1999.]

4. Sample manuscript structure

Ivan Ivanov, Prof. DSc.
Institute for Literature — Bulgarian Academy of Sciences
ORCID iD: 0000-0001-7541-162X
Web of Science Researcher ID: Y-2942-2007
1113 Sofia, Bulgaria
E-mail: i.ivanov@ilit.bas.bg

ARTICLE TITLE

Abstract. (up to 300 words)
Keywords: (up to 5)

Article text (TNR, 12 pt).

Acknowledgments & Funding
The article was prepared with the financial support of FNI, grant No. E02-8/2019.

SOURCES
(if applicable — archival units and primary sources)

LITERATURE
(full bibliographic data, alphabetical, with transliteration of Cyrillic titles)

The editorial ethics and the rules for avoiding malpractice in the academic series Political Studies adhere to internationally recognized standards and codes of conduct established by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE). The goal of publication ethics is to ensure the legitimacy of publications, the quality of scientific research, and the adherence to good practices for ethical behavior at all stages of the publishing process. The publication does not accept materials that have already been published in other editions in the same form or have been submitted for publication elsewhere. Plagiarism and the use of false information are unacceptable.

Responsibilities of the Editors

The editorial board accepts and evaluates manuscripts solely based on their scientific, linguistic, and stylistic qualities, and their academic value (originality, relevance, appropriateness, clarity).

The editorial team determines the content of the respective thematic issue and the publication date of the approved texts. It is their duty to ensure an impartial and competent process of anonymous peer review, as well as to inform authors in advance about the professional and technical requirements of the publication (published on its website), according to which the texts approved by the reviewers are edited. Editors maintain the anonymity of authors and reviewers and keep the manuscripts confidential, not disclosing any information about them without the written consent of the authors.

The editorial board is committed to selecting two anonymous reviewers—independent Bulgarian and foreign experts in the relevant field, besides its members—for each submitted text, without allowing a conflict of interest between reviewer and author. Editors submit the received manuscripts for review, provide reviewers with evaluation forms for the articles, and inform authors of the reviewers’ assessments and recommendations. In case of any violations of the professional ethical code by the authors, the editors have the right to reject the respective text.

Responsibilities of the Authors

Authors declare that the manuscripts submitted to Political Studies are their original scientific research, unpublished, and not submitted in the same form for publication elsewhere. In cases where previously published texts, excerpts from them, or extended versions are submitted, the previous publication should be indicated. When republishing an article issued in Political Studies or part of it, the author is required to cite the first publication.

Authors guarantee the authenticity of their manuscripts, correct and accurate citation of used sources, and must comply with the specified citation rules. Fraudulent or knowingly inaccurate statements are considered unethical behavior and are unacceptable.

Authors prepare their scientific research in accordance with the technical and editorial requirements for manuscript formatting adopted by the editorial board. Authors are responsible for the scientific value of the concept and data interpretation.

Authors are required to cooperate adequately and respond promptly to the editors' questions, as well as to provide necessary clarifications on their texts. It is desirable that authors comply with reviewers' recommendations as long as they do not seriously contradict their own ideas and theses. (However, in case of refusal, the editors reserve the right to reject the submitted manuscript.) Authors are obligated to comply with the publication's requirements for confidentiality of relations, anonymity of texts, and anonymity of reviewers.

Responsibilities of the Reviewers

All submitted manuscripts are treated as confidential documents with copyright and are subjected to double anonymous peer review. Reviewers are selected based on their competence in the field of the specific articles, avoiding conflicts of interest with the authors. Reviewers should be informed in advance by the editorial board about the professional and formal requirements of the publication.

Reviewers should receive standardized evaluation forms in which they reflect their assessment of the articles. Reviewers are required to objectively assess the scientific value of the submitted materials with clearly formulated conclusions and arguments and to note any deficiencies to assist authors in improving their manuscripts. Reviewers are committed to notifying the editors when plagiarism or overlap of the text with other known publications is detected. The reviewer notifies the Editor-in-Chief if they refuse to review a submitted manuscript when they do not feel sufficiently qualified, are unable to complete the review within the deadline, or due to a conflict of interest.

Since 1991, the Bulgarian Political Science Association publishes the journal Political Studies, the first academic journal of political science in Bulgarian history.

The journal functions as main periodical forum for theoretical manifestations of Bulgarian political science and its pages accommodate publications of texts by most prominent Bulgarian political scientists. Practically, it can be said to represent the face of Bulgaria's political science community.

The journal is indispensable for lecturers and students of political science and in a wider sense, of all social sciences. It is an important source of material for the academic education in political science.

The readership of the journal comprises professors and students from the nine universities with accredited departments in political science, non-governmental organizations, academic establishments, representatives of political institutions, etc. There is also certain interest to the journal abroad.

The journal is being printed and distributed by the respected publisher St. Kliment Ohridski University Publishing House.

In recent years, the journal introduced double blind peer review to effect a higher scientific level of the published material. In most cases, emphasis is placed on special topics such as “Twenty-five Years Later”, “Presidential Elections 2016”, “(National) Populism”. The publication enforces the practice of enlisting of guest editors to prepare and lead special issues and columns of the journal.

• Stoycho P. Stoychev Editor-in-Chief
• Ildiko Otova Editor-in-Chief
• Daria-Lora Dacheva Secretary

Editorial Board

• Dobrin Kanev New Bulgarian University — Sofia, Bulgaria
• Rumyana Kolarova Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski” — Sofia, Bulgaria
• Antony Todorov New Bulgarian University — Sofia, Bulgaria
• Svetoslav Malinov Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski” — Sofia, Bulgaria
• Ognyan Minchev Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski” — Sofia, Bulgaria