Author Instructions
The Bahá’í Studies Review welcomes proposals and full manuscript submissions addressing a broad range of topics relevant to Bahá’í studies.
General Submission Guidelines
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All submissions must include an abstract of no more than 250 words.
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References must follow the MHRA style (guidelines available here). Where available, URLs and DOIs for the sources should be provided.
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Manuscripts should be submitted as editable Word documents (.docx preferred).
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Authors should include a short biographical note of no more than 100 words at the end of their submission.
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Please consult the Bahá’í Studies Review AI Policy (click here) to ensure you are complying with its requirements.
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All submissions should be sent with a completed cover sheet.
Types of Publications
We publish work in the following five categories:
Paper: A Paper presents original research, analysis, or ideas that contribute substantively to scholarly or interdisciplinary discussions in the field. Submissions should offer fresh insights, demonstrate rigorous inquiry, and clearly articulate how they extend or deepen existing knowledge. Authors are expected to engage with relevant scholarship and situate their work within the wider literature where relevant. Manuscripts should not exceed 8,000 words, including footnotes.
Book/Film Review: A Book or Film Review provides a critical evaluation of a recently published scholarly or creative work relevant to the journal’s themes. Beyond summarising content, reviews should situate the work within its broader intellectual or cultural context and assess its contribution to scholarship or public discourse. Reviewers are encouraged to comment on the work’s argument, methodology or artistic approach, intended audience, and overall significance. Reviews should foster informed and constructive discussion. Manuscripts should not exceed 2,000 words, including footnotes.
Sounding: A Sounding is a short, exploratory piece that opens up a question, hypothesis, or line of inquiry without necessarily resolving it. Suitable contributions might identify an overlooked issue, propose a new angle on an existing debate, or test an idea that merits scholarly attention. While grounded in engagement with relevant literature or sources, Soundings are provisional in character: they map the territory and invite further investigation rather than offering definitive conclusions. Manuscripts should not exceed 4,000 words, including footnotes.
Provisional Translation: A Provisional Translation draws on newly translated excerpts of a Tablet, letter, or other text relating to the Bahá'í Faith to support a wider scholarly argument. Submissions should provide context for the translated material, such as the circumstances under which it was written and details of any previous translations, as well as including the original-language text either in the body of the work or as an appendix. The translation should serve the argument rather than be an end in itself. Standalone translations of full Tablets are not published, as extensive translation work of this kind falls within the remit of other agencies. Where appropriate, clear distinctions should be made between provisional and authoritative translations.
Research Note: A Research Note provides a concise report of observations, methodological insights, or brief findings that merit scholarly attention but do not require a full-length article. This format is suitable for sharing specific data, illustrative examples, or protocols. Research Notes should not exceed 1,500 words, including footnotes, but may be considerably shorter if appropriate.
Editorial and Review Process
Submissions may be made via the journal’s website or by email to bsr@bahai.org.uk. Each manuscript undergoes an initial review by the editor, followed by assessment by the editorial review panel and anonymous peer reviewers, who may suggest revisions to enhance clarity, coherence, and scholarly rigour. This peer-review process adheres to academic standards and ensures the highest quality of published work, and aids the editor in decisions of whether a manuscript is publishable.
Upon acceptance, articles are published online. Please note that precise formatting requirements can be finalised in collaboration with the editor during the production stage; content quality remains the primary consideration at the time of submission.