About the Journal

Focus and Scope

Commonwealth publishes manuscripts across a broad range of topics related to the politics, policy and political history of Pennsylvania. The journal is interdisciplinary in nature, appealing to scholars and practitioners in fields such as political science, public administration, public policy and history.

We’re looking for the following types of content:

  • General articles on Pennsylvania state and local government
  • Multi-state comparative analyses featuring Pennsylvania or its regions
  • Impacts of federal policies on the Commonwealth
  • Analyses of specific public policy issues
  • Public administration and implementation politics in Pennsylvania
  • Pennsylvania political history
  • Public law and the courts in the Commonwealth
  • Pennsylvania campaigns, elections, and public opinion
  • International relations with clear consequences for Pennsylvania and its regions

Publication Frequency

Commonwealth is published online three times a year.

Sponsors

Commonwealth: A Journal of Pennsylvania Politics and Policy is the journal of The Pennsylvania Political Science Association (PPSA). Founded in 1939, PPSA is the nation's oldest state political science association. Its mission has always been to promote scholarship, research, and the exchange of ideas within the Pennsylvania community of political scientists.