Best open-access journals for Political Science and International Relations

1. 1
   Politics and Governance

   2.6 cites/paper · Q1 · Cogitatio

   Open AccessDOAJScopusWeb of Science
2. 2
   British Journal of Political Science

   2.5 cites/paper · Q1 · Cambridge University Press

   Open AccessDOAJScopusWeb of SciencePubMed
3. 3
   Journal of Public Policy

   2.2 cites/paper · Q1 · Cambridge University Press

   Open AccessDOAJScopusWeb of SciencePubMed
4. 4
   Intereconomics

   2.0 cites/paper · Q1 · Springer Science+Business Media

   Open AccessDOAJScopusPubMed
5. 5
   Government and Opposition

   1.8 cites/paper · Q1 · Cambridge University Press

   Open AccessDOAJScopusWeb of Science
6. 6
   European Journal of Risk Regulation

   1.8 cites/paper · Q1 · Cambridge University Press

   Open AccessDOAJScopusWeb of SciencePubMed
7. 7
   Frontiers in Political Science

   1.1 cites/paper · Q1 · Frontiers Media

   Open AccessDOAJScopusWeb of SciencePubMed
8. 8
   German Law Journal

   1.1 cites/paper · Q1 · Cambridge University Press

   Open AccessDOAJScopusWeb of Science
9. 9
   Leiden Journal of International Law

   0.8 cites/paper · Q1 · Cambridge University Press

   Open AccessDOAJScopusWeb of Science
10. 10
    Colombia Internacional

    0.7 cites/paper · Q1 · Universidad de Los Andes

    Open AccessDOAJScopusWeb of Science
11. 11
    International Review of the Red Cross

    0.6 cites/paper · Q1 · Cambridge University Press

    Open AccessDOAJScopusWeb of SciencePubMed
12. 12
    Revista de Derecho Político

    0.6 cites/paper · Q1 · National University of Distance Education

    Open AccessDOAJScopusWeb of Science
13. 13
    Latin American Research Review

    0.5 cites/paper · Q1 · Cambridge University Press

    Open AccessDOAJScopusWeb of SciencePubMed
14. 14
    MGIMO Review of International Relations

    0.5 cites/paper · Q1 · MGIMO University Press

    Open AccessDOAJScopusWeb of Science
15. 15
    Comparative Southeast European Studies

    0.4 cites/paper · Q1 · De Gruyter

    Open AccessDOAJScopusWeb of SciencePubMed
16. 16
    Araucaria

    0.4 cites/paper · Q1 · University of Seville

    Open AccessDOAJScopusWeb of Science
17. 17
    Revista de Estudios de la Administración Local y Autonómica

    0.3 cites/paper · Q1 · Instituto Nacional de Administración Pública (Spain)

    Open AccessDOAJScopusWeb of Science
18. 18
    Revista Española de Derecho Constitucional

    0.3 cites/paper · Q1 · Center for Political and Constitutional Studies

    Open AccessScopusWeb of Science
19. 19
    Vestnik Volgogradskogo gosudarstvennogo universiteta Serija 4 Istorija Regionovedenie Mezhdunarodnye otnoshenija

    0.2 cites/paper · Q1 · Volgograd State University

    Open AccessDOAJScopusWeb of Science
20. 20
    AMÉRICA LATINA HOY

    0.2 cites/paper · Q1 · Ediciones Universidad de Salamanca

    Open AccessDOAJScopusWeb of Science
21. 21
    Teoría y Realidad Constitucional

    0.2 cites/paper · Q1

    Open AccessScopusWeb of Science
22. 22
    Czech Journal of International Relations

    0.1 cites/paper · Q1 · Institute of International Relations Prague

    Open AccessDOAJScopusWeb of Science
23. 23
    DOXA Cuadernos de Filosofía del Derecho

    0.1 cites/paper · Q1

    Open AccessDOAJScopusWeb of Science
24. 24
    BMGN - Low Countries Historical Review

    0.1 cites/paper · Q1 · Utrecht University Library Open Access Journals (Publishing Services)

    Open AccessDOAJScopusWeb of SciencePubMed
25. 25
    International Labour Review

    19.4 cites/paper · Q2 · Wiley

    Open AccessDOAJScopusWeb of SciencePubMed
26. 26
    Íconos - Revista de Ciencias Sociales

    1.4 cites/paper · Q2 · Facultad Latinoamericana de Ciencias Sociales, Sede Ecuador

    Open AccessDOAJScopusWeb of Science
27. 27
    Białostockie Studia Prawnicze

    0.5 cites/paper · Q2 · University of Białystok

    Open AccessDOAJScopus
28. 28
    Derecho PUCP

    0.5 cites/paper · Q2 · Pontifical Catholic University of Peru

    Open AccessDOAJScopusWeb of Science
29. 29
    Acta Poloniae Historica

    0.4 cites/paper · Q2 · Polska Akademia Nauk

    Open AccessScopusWeb of SciencePubMed
30. 30
    Andamios

    0.4 cites/paper · Q2

    Open AccessScopusWeb of Science
31. 31
    Jahrbuch für Wirtschaftsgeschichte / Economic History Yearbook

    0.3 cites/paper · Q2 · De Gruyter

    Open AccessDOAJScopusWeb of SciencePubMed
32. 32
    American Journal of Islam and Society

    0.3 cites/paper · Q2 · International Institute of Islamic Thought

    Open AccessDOAJScopus
33. 33
    Revista de Estudios Políticos

    0.3 cites/paper · Q2 · Centro de Estudios Constitucionales

    Open AccessScopusWeb of Science
34. 34
    Studia Iuridica Lublinensia

    0.3 cites/paper · Q2 · Wydawnictwo UMCS

    Open AccessDOAJScopus
35. 35
    Ekonomiaz Revista Vasca de Economía

    0.3 cites/paper · Q2

    Open AccessDOAJScopus
36. 36
    Cuestiones Constitucionales Revista Mexicana de Derecho Constitucional

    0.2 cites/paper · Q2 · CIG Media Group

    Open AccessDOAJScopus
37. 37
    Cuadernos de Derecho Local

    0.2 cites/paper · Q2

    Open AccessScopus
38. 38
    Anuario español de derecho internacional/Anuario español de derecho internacional

    0.1 cites/paper · Q2

    Open AccessScopus
39. 39
    CUADERNOS DE DERECHO TRANSNACIONAL

    0.1 cites/paper · Q2

    Open AccessScopus
40. 40
    Muzealnictwo

    0.1 cites/paper · Q2 · Index Copernicus International S.A.

    Open AccessScopus

“Cites/paper” is the OpenAlex 2-year citation rate — a transparent signal, not a licensed Impact Factor. Many regional and open-access journals are strong but aren’t covered by Scimago, so they show “no Scimago quartile”; that’s a coverage gap, not a quality judgement.