About the Journal

Overview

The Radiant Journal of International Relations, Peace, and Climate Studies, known by its acronym RADIANT (Regional Affairs, Diplomacy, International and National Trends), is an international, peer-reviewed, open-access academic journal committed to advancing scholarly inquiry in International Relations, Peace and Conflict Studies, Climate Change, Public Policy, Governance, Sustainable Development, and Strategic Affairs. It is the flagship journal of the International Relations, Peace, and Climate Review (IRPCR), and provides an inclusive and intellectually rigorous platform for academics, policymakers, researchers, practitioners, and students worldwide to disseminate original and impactful research.

Our Story

The idea for Radiant Journal originated from a shared academic experience. On 7 December 2023, three recent MPhil graduates discussed their future aspirations in academia and policy research. Like many early-career researchers, they had spent months preparing and submitting manuscripts to various journals and academic platforms. While scholarly publishing rightly demands high standards, they often encountered prolonged periods without acknowledgement, editorial decisions, or even rejection notices. This uncertainty was identified as one of the most challenging aspects of beginning an academic career.

This experience led to a guiding question, that of whether a journal could uphold academic excellence while also respecting the time, effort, and aspirations of researchers. Radiant Journal was conceived as a platform that would not only publish quality scholarship but also promote transparency, mentorship, and constructive academic engagement. The founding conviction was that every submission deserves professional and respectful consideration, and that authors whose manuscripts do not meet the standard required for publication should receive timely communication and constructive feedback wherever possible, rather than prolonged silence.

The initiative faced early challenges. With limited resources, the founders invested considerable time and effort in establishing the journal's foundations. Financial constraints and competing professional commitments subsequently required the initiative to be paused while the founders pursued their individual academic and professional paths.

The journal has since been re-established with renewed institutional support under the International Relations, Peace, and Climate Review (IRPCR). Radiant Journal represents the continuation of the original vision formed in December 2023, that of a scholarly platform grounded in academic excellence, intellectual diversity, and ethical publishing practice, accessible and supportive of both established and emerging researchers.

Focus and Scope

RADIANT is structured around four core thematic sections, through which it advances IRPCR's broader mission of scholarship on peacebuilding, conflict, and climate governance. Peace, security, and climate governance serve as cross-cutting themes across all four sections.

Regional Affairs. This section examines political, economic, and security developments across South Asia and neighbouring regions, with particular attention to Pakistan's evolving role within it. It covers regional cooperation frameworks, cross-border conflict and stability issues, economic integration efforts, and the shifting balance of power among regional actors.

Diplomacy. This section addresses the practice and theory of diplomatic engagement, including bilateral and multilateral negotiations, track-II dialogue initiatives, mediation and conflict-resolution mechanisms, and the evolving tools of statecraft. It welcomes contributions on Pakistan's foreign policy conduct as well as broader diplomatic trends, including digital diplomacy, economic diplomacy, and climate diplomacy.

International Trends. This section addresses global-level shifts shaping the international system, including great-power competition, multilateral institution reform, emerging technology and its geopolitical implications, global climate governance, and transnational security challenges such as terrorism, cyber threats, and pandemics.

National Trends. This section covers domestic political, economic, and social developments within Pakistan that intersect with its foreign policy and international standing, including governance reform, economic policy, civil-military relations, and climate vulnerability and adaptation.

Our Commitment

Radiant Journal is committed to:

• Maintaining the highest standards of academic integrity and peer review.
• Providing a transparent and timely editorial process.
• Supporting early-career researchers and scholars from underrepresented academic communities.
• Promoting interdisciplinary and policy-relevant scholarship.
• Advancing open and inclusive academic dialogue on issues of international relations, peacebuilding, climate change, and public policy.

The journal particularly welcomes submissions from young scholars, whose contributions are considered essential alongside those of established academics and practitioners.

Open Access Policy

This journal provides immediate open access to its content, on the principle that making research freely available to the public supports a greater global exchange of knowledge. All content is published under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) license, permitting free access, distribution, and reuse with appropriate attribution.

Peer Review Process

All submissions undergo double-blind peer review by at least two independent reviewers with relevant subject expertise, prior to an editorial decision.

Copyright Notice

Authors retain copyright of their work and grant the journal the right of first publication. Published articles are licensed under CC BY 4.0, permitting others to share and adapt the work with appropriate credit to the original author(s) and source.

Article Processing Charges

No submission or publication fees are currently charged to authors.

Sponsorship Disclosure

Radiant Journal is published by the International Relations, Peace, and Climate Review (IRPCR), a privately registered research and consultancy institute based in Islamabad, Pakistan (CUIN 0269849CRO).

Privacy Statement

The names and email addresses entered on this journal site will be used exclusively for the stated purposes of this journal, and will not be made available for any other purpose or to any other party.

Closing Statement

Radiant Journal stands for scholarly excellence, intellectual curiosity, constructive engagement, and respect for every researcher who entrusts the journal with their work.

Research • Dialogue • Peace • Climate Action