The Texas National Security Review is a new kind of journal committed to excellence, scholarly rigor, and big ideas.

Launched in 2017 by War on the Rocks and the University of Texas (as a part of its Texas National Security Network) we aim for articles published in this journal to end up on university syllabi and the desks of decision-makers, and to be cited as the foundational research and analysis on world affairs.

Why do we need another journal?

Many scholars and policymakers have worked on the challenges of bridging the gap between academia and the world of practice and policy. These conferences, fellowship programs, workshops, articles, and books have been important in solving this problem set.

We are still limited, however, by the traditional shape and form of the pillars of the academic profession. One of these is the scholarly journal. Lengthy review periods, jargon-laden prose, particularism, stodgy and large publishing houses, and “gates” that limit dissemination are well-known problems. On top of these, a lack of true interdisciplinary writing and review continue to limit the ability of most journals to serve as vehicles for policy engagement while continuing to facilitate scholarly communication and advancement.

War on the Rocks has partnered with the Texas National Security Network – a flagship effort by Chancellor William McRaven of the University of Texas System – to solve these problems. The Texas National Security Review sits at the heart of this new partnership. It features scholarly articles as well as essays by policymakers and practitioners. Its academic articles are:

• Peer reviewed (double-blind);
• Rigorous and demonstrate academic excellence;
• Interdisciplinary; and
• Accessible and useful for decision-makers and practitioners.

By focusing on the production and publication of top-tier scholarly work that serves both academic and “real-world” audiences and goals, we aim to create something we know is difficult but we believe is well worth pursuing. The print edition comes out quarterly and will be made available online, for free, for everyone. The online edition also features roundtable-style debates, discussions, and book reviews.

The Texas National Security Review maintains the best practices of scholarly journals – namely double-blind peer review enabled by a strong editorial board and stable of reviewers – while otherwise remaking how these publications are produced and disseminated. Even though we are going to be rigorous, exclusive, and methodologically pluralistic, we are going to demand jargon-free prose and scholarly work that addresses current policy problems. The result will be articles that are reviewed and edited quickly (see our Submissions page) and upon publication will experience meaningful exposure and access to decision-makers outside the ivory tower.