FOCUS & SCOPE

IJRCS provides an open access platform for academics and community development experts to publish their findings.  IJRCS welcomes articles that provide discourse on rural development, policies and practices, and community-related studies from regional, provincial, community and global perspectives. Interdisciplinary debates on rural and community emancipation, focusing on social, educational, economic, political, environmental, local and urban influence, gender dominance and marginalisation, and resource allocation issues are also welcome. The predominant focus is to publish articles that contribute to the sustainable development of the disadvantaged towards emancipation and self-reliance. IJRCS invites empirical studies, conceptual and theoretical opinions, book reviews, reviews of relevant literature, short communications and commentaries. 

The journal accommodates all disciplines, including but not limited to the following perspectives:

  • Rural development and people's emancipation
  • Community development
  • Urban and regional integration
  • Economic and political perspectives
  • Agricultural perspectives
  • Social and educational perfectives
  • Governance and administrative perspectives
  • Sociological and psychological perspectives
  • Health and well-being
  • Social and political activism
  • Management and communication
  • Natural and human science
  • Humanities and literature studies 
  • Gender issues 
  • Information and communications technology
  • Indigenous narratives 
  • Sustainable development

Definition of Terms

  • ERRCDF defines "rural" as economically, socially, and politically disadvantaged locations, people or entities.
  • ERRCDF defines "community" as the conglomerate of people, entities, locations, and organisations that share common or conflictual characteristics.  

Publication Frequency

Prior to 2022, IJRCS published two issues on a continuous publishing model per year. From 2022, IJRCS publishes one issue per year, and a continuous publishing model applies. Therefore, articles ready for publication at any time of the year are immediately made available online on an article-by-article basis.

Starting in 2024, the Journal welcomes applications for special issues and encourages prospective special guest editors to submit their proposals. Interested individuals can find detailed guidelines and submission procedures in the Special Issue Policy.

Publication Statistics

  • 2023: 23 articles submitted, 6 (23%) accepted and published, 17 (77%) rejected
  • 2022: 34 articles submitted, 6 (18%) accepted and published, 28 (82%) rejected
  • 2021: 40 articles submitted, 10 (25%) accepted and published, 30 (75%) rejected
  • 2020: 23 articles Submitted, 9 (39%) accepted & published, 19 (61%) rejected 
  • 2019: 37 articles Submitted, 13 (35%) accepted & published, 24 (65%) rejected