Book reviews
If you are interested in serving as a book reviewer for EPS, please contact: eps@ecpr.eu
Book Review Guidelines
A review of a book should 1) carefully describe the book’s analysis, logic and structure of its argument; 2) assess the book’s contributions to the field; and 3) identify its major shortcomings and/or special contributions.
In the process of selecting potential reviewers, we attempt to maintain the integrity of the review process by excluding from consideration, reviewers who have a potential conflict of interest with the book's author(s). Those who present potential conflicts of interest include PhD supervisors and supervisees, colleagues, former or current co-authors, and those who contributed significantly to the manuscript, reviewed the book for a press or another journal, or have major personal disagreements with the author. EPS may commission a book review and also welcomes enquiries from potential reviewer to review books.
Please note that publishers are increasingly making electronic copies (e-books) only available to reviewers.
Submission Types
Book review: A single review of a single book. 700 - 800 words.
Review essay: A single review of two, maximum three, books on a similar theme). Essay should also include an introduction and conclusion. 700-800 words per book reviewed.
Review exchange: Authors of two recently published books on a similar theme review each other’s works and then offer a response to the review of their respective book. 700 – 800 words per book review and 700 – 800 word per response.
Review symposium: Consists of two, maximum four, reviews of a single book and a response by the book's author(s). Each review should be 700 - 800 words in length. Depending on the number of reviews, the response from the book's author(s) is usually circa 1000-1500 words.
Presentation and Formatting
Review articles and book reviews should not list the books under review but should list any other publications referred to in the text. Refer to books under review by their title in italics and to the authors under review by surname. For all other works referred to in the text, refer to the authors surname and year of publication.
