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What we publish

We publish work on geopolitics, political economy, security, energy, trade and technology. We are especially interested in authors writing about the countries and regions in which they live and work, and in arguments that connect a political development to its economic consequences.

• Analysis, 1,200 to 2,500 words, examining a current development and why it matters.
• Research briefs, 2,000 to 5,000 words, addressing a defined question with primary sources and, where useful, a chart or table.
• Briefings, 600 to 1,200 words, setting out the established facts of a single development.
• Opinion, 800 to 1,500 words, advancing a clearly argued position. Opinion is labelled as such on the page, and is held to the same standard of sourcing as analysis.
• Letters, up to 400 words, responding to an article we have published.

Editorial requirements

Every submission is assessed against the same standards, which are those we apply to our own work.

• A clear argument. The central claim should be stated early and should be one a reader could reasonably dispute.
• Verifiable sources. Every figure, date and quotation must be attributed to a source the reader can consult, named in the text: the institution, the document and the date. Primary sources are preferred. The editor verifies every source before publication.
• Original work. The article must be the author's own and must not have been published elsewhere, unless agreed in advance.
• Disclosure of AI assistance. Where artificial-intelligence tools have been used in research, drafting or editing, the author must say so in a short note, which is published with the article. We do not publish work in which such tools have produced the analysis itself.

What we do not publish

• Work that relies on unattributed claims or on phrases such as "many observers say" in place of a source.
• Press releases, sponsored material, or writing that promotes a product, fund, service or affiliate arrangement.
• Work generated by a language model and presented as the author's own analysis.
• Work previously published elsewhere, unless republication has been agreed beforehand.

How to submit

Submissions may be made through the form on this page or by email to [email protected]. There are two routes.

• A pitch, of up to 150 words, for an article not yet written. It should state the claim, the principal evidence, and why the subject is timely. We reply within three days with an acceptance, a decline, or a question, and the article is written once the pitch is accepted.
• A finished article that meets the requirements above. Select "A finished article" in the form, attach the file or paste the full text with its source links, add a one-sentence standfirst, and provide any images with their sources. We reply within three days.

What happens next

Accepted work is edited for clarity and checked for sourcing. Editing does not alter an author's argument; where a change of substance is proposed, it is discussed with the author first. The author approves the final text. The article is then published on the site under the author's name, with a link to their page in the contributors directory, and is included in the weekly newsletter. Authors receive an email whenever a reader comments on their article and may reply directly.

Rights

Authors retain the copyright in their work. By submitting, an author grants The Geopolitical Economist a non-exclusive licence to publish the article on the website, in the newsletter and on the publication's social channels. Authors may republish their article elsewhere fourteen days after it appears here, with a credit and a link to the original.

Style

• State the central claim in the opening paragraph rather than building towards it.
• Attribute every figure to its source, naming the institution, the document and the date.
• Prefer short sentences and plain words. Avoid jargon that a general reader would need to look up.
• Give the source of every image in its caption and the source of every chart's data beneath it.