Publishing Fieldwork on Civil War

After your field research is done, there is always that final, daunting step: publishing. We are joined by Caelyn Cobb, Senior Editor in global history and global politics for Columbia University Press, and Jacqueline Hazelton, Executive Editor of the journal International Security, to gain an editor’s perspective on what they look for in conflict research and how aspiring scholars can navigate the publishing process.

Cobb and Hazelton discuss how ethical considerations and methodological choices shape projects from the proposal stage all the way through peer review. They reflect on how editors assess whether author's claims align with their fieldwork, and how research methods are justified in a civil war subfield that often builds on qualitative evidence. Throughout their conversation, Cobb and Hazelton also examine how recent changes in the field have influenced what editors look for and the advice they offer to emerging scholars looking to publish.

4:21: Discussing Research Methods and Ethics with Authors

7:25: Talking About Your Fieldwork with Editors

15:22: Lessons Learned as Both an Editor and Researcher

18:24: Recent Changes in the Field of Civil War Studies

24:53: Book Press and Journal Policies on Fieldwork Ethics

28:28: Red Flags in Manuscripts and Proposals

32:06: How Editors View IRBs

37:37: How Editors Talk to Each Other about Methods and Ethics

41:03: Editors' Advice for Publishing Your Research

Publications Mentioned in this Episode

1. Hazelton, Jacqueline L. Bullets Not Ballots: Success in Counterinsurgency Warfare. Cornell University Press, 2021. http://www.jstor.org/stable/10.7591/j.ctv16zjztj
2. Rizkallah, Amanda. "Foreign Intervention and Internal Displacement: Urban Politics in Postwar Beirut." International Security 2024; 48 (3): 86–128. https://doi.org/10.1162/isec_a_00478
3. Krause, Peter, Szekely, Ora, et al. 2021. "COVID-19 and Fieldwork: Challenges and Solutions." PS - Political Science and Politics, 54 (2): 264-269. https://doi.org/10.1017/S1049096520001754
4. Ide, Tobias. "Rise or Recede? How Climate Disasters Affect Armed Conflict Intensity." International Security 2023; 47 (4): 50–78. https://doi.org/10.1162/isec_a_00459
5. Daly, Sarah Z., & Krause, Peter. (2024). Whose side are you on? Balancing impartiality and proximity in the study of civil wars. Conflict, Security & Development, 24 (6): 621–644. https://doi.org/10.1080/14678802.2024.2435057

Producers: Dominic Calareso and Jasmine Han

Find Stories from The Field at Columbia University Press or Amazon