Scope and Focus
Inter Populum: The Journal of Irregular Warfare and Special Operations, published by Arizona State University, is an academically rigorous, peer-reviewed publication focused on advancing research and ideas and promoting discussion on topics of irregular warfare, special operations, and the nexus between them, as well as the integration of these military activities with those of other government agencies, civil society, and the private sector.
Article Categories
The Journal publishes original research articles, long-form commentaries, book reviews, and—on a limited basis—letters. Unsolicited submissions are welcome in all categories. The Journal particularly encourages contributions from authors based outside the United States and work addressing non-U.S. contexts.
Research articles run 10,000 words or fewer and make an original contribution to advance debate or understanding of an issue clearly within the journal’s scope. They should present an original argument with a clear thesis and a demonstrated appreciation for the current state of the scholarship or policy dynamics in question and be thoroughly substantiated with citations to primary and secondary sources, as appropriate.
Commentaries run between 3,000 and 7,500 words and are intended to stimulate debate rather than present original research. Submissions should advance a clear position through a logically coherent argument and culminate in a set of recommendations or proposed courses of action. Problem-solving rather than polemics should characterize these pieces. Authors should be willing to engage substantively with published counter-positions, including letters. Citations are encouraged but not required.
Book reviews are 800–1,200 words and provide commentary on recently published, commercially available book-length works, with particular attention to their relevance for scholars, policymakers, and practitioners of special operations, irregular warfare, and related fields. Reviews may engage works that are theoretical, historical, operational, or policy-oriented in focus, and that address issues at the regional or global level.
Letters. On a limited and selective basis, the Journal publishes letters responding to previously published articles or commenting on current events or debates within the field. Letters are limited to 800 words and should be concise, purposeful, and persuasive. Submissions should come from individuals whose professional experience, position, or scholarly record establishes them as thought leaders in the field.
Small Wars Journal
Inter Populum collaborates with Small Wars Journal, its sister publication, to expand publication opportunities for authors. Submissions under 3,000 words that align with SWJ’s emphasis on concise, policy-oriented analysis may be referred to SWJ at the editors’ discretion. Authors will be notified of any referral and may choose whether to pursue publication through SWJ. Referral does not guarantee publication.
Submission Guidelines
Research articles and commentaries: Submissions must conform to the Chicago Manual of Style, 17th edition (with endnotes). Manuscripts not in compliance with Chicago style will be returned for reformatting prior to review. All submissions must include: an abstract of no more than 150 words; up to five keywords to support indexing and searchability; an author bio of no more than 100 words; and a high-resolution author photograph.
Book reviews: Book reviews should be 800–1,200 words in length and submitted as double-spaced Microsoft Word documents using Times New Roman, 12-point font. Each review must include full bibliographic information (author, title, publisher, year of publication, page count, and price, when available).
Reviews should provide an overview of the book’s purpose and scope, brief background on the author, a summary of the book’s structure and main arguments, identification of the intended audience, and a thoughtful, balanced critique situating the work within the broader literature. Submissions must also include a two-sentence biographical note and a high-resolution author photograph.
Submission Contact Information
For inquiries regarding research articles and commentary pieces, please contact the Inter Populum editorial team at InterPopulum@asu.edu.
For book reviews, please contact the Book Review Editor, Dr. Mark Grzegorzewski, at grzegorm@erau.edu
Peer Review Process
Our journal upholds the highest standards of academic scrutiny through a double-blind peer review process. The timeline for this process typically spans from 1 to 3 months.
Publication Ethics
Inter Populum is dedicated to maintaining the highest standards of publication ethics. We expect all stakeholders, including authors, reviewers, and editors, to uphold integrity in research and scholarly communication, including preventing plagiarism, ensuring proper authorship attribution, disclosing conflicts of interest, obtaining permissions for copyrighted material, maintaining confidentiality, and promptly addressing errors or misconduct.
Copyright Policy & Editorial Independence
Upon publication, copyright for all works in Inter Populum is assigned to the Arizona Board of Regents for and on behalf of Arizona State University. Authors may share their published work on personal or institutional platforms with proper attribution.
The views expressed in Inter Populum are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views, policies, or positions of Arizona State University, the Arizona Board of Regents, the United States Government, the U.S. Department of Defense, or any other government entity. Editorial decisions are made independently and are guided exclusively by scholarly merit and relevance to the Journal’s scope.
Publication Frequency
Inter Populum is published once annually in print (ISSN: 2329-6151) and twice annually online (ISSN: 2372-2657).
Masthead
Editors:
Christopher Marsh, U.S. National Defense University, christopher.marsh.civ@ndu.edu
Ryan Shaw, Arizona State University, ryan.shaw.1@asu.edu
James Kiras, U.S. Air Force School of Advanced Air and Space Studies, james.kiras@us.af.mil
Managing Editor:
Sarah Shoer, Arizona State University, sarah.shoer@asu.edu
Book Review Editor:
Mark Grzegorzewski, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, grzegorm@erau.edu
Editorial Board:
Leo Blanken, Naval Postgraduate School
Patricia Blocksome, Joint Special Operations University
Paul Brister, Joint Special Operations University
Carolyne Davidson, U.S. National Defense University
David Ellis, New College of Florida
Ken Gleiman, Arizona State University
Stephen Grenier, Johns Hopkins University
Nikolas Gvosdev, U.S. Naval War College
Jaroslaw Jablonski, Jagiellonian University
Martijn Kitzen, Netherlands Defence Academy
Nina Kollars, Joint Special Operations University
Jeffrey Kubiak, Arizona State University
David Maxwell, Center for Asia Pacific Strategy
Aleksandra Nesic, U.S. Department of State
David Oakley, University of South Florida
Ulrica Pettersson, Swedish Defence University
Linda Robinson, RAND Corporation
Richard Schultz, Fletcher School, Tufts University
Kalev Sepp, Naval Postgraduate School
Emily Stranger, Indiana University-Bloomington