international journal of social pedagogy
The leading English-language journal in the field: open access, peer reviewed and co-edited by ThemPra in partnership with UCL Press.
open access · peer reviewed
about the journal
The International Journal of Social Pedagogy (IJSP) is an open-access, peer-reviewed journal dedicated to advancing a cross-cultural understanding of social pedagogy. It provides a platform for dialogue between theory, research and practice within this interdisciplinary field.
The journal publishes articles from researchers, scholars, educators, policymakers and practitioners. It welcomes innovative contributions that show the dynamics and potential of social pedagogy, both in its established traditions and in new contexts around the world.
Every article is free to read, reflecting IJSP’s commitment to making knowledge freely available and to ensuring a globally inclusive discourse around social pedagogy. It is published by UCL Press and is the leading English-language journal in the field.
AT A GLANCE
- Publisher: UCL Press
- Access: free to read, open access
- Review: peer reviewed
- Editors: Professor Claire Cameron (UCL Institute of Education), Gabriel Eichsteller (ThemPra) and Robyn Kemp (SPPA)
get involved
write for the journal
We welcome submissions from anyone with something to say about social pedagogy – whether you are an experienced researcher, a practitioner reflecting on your work, a student or an educator. Alongside research articles, the journal also publishes practice-based contributions that connect theory with everyday experience.
You can find the author guidelines and submit your article through the journal’s website. If you are unsure whether your idea is a good fit, we are always happy to have an informal conversation first.
where to start
recommended reading from the IJSP
New to the journal? These articles are a good place to begin.
For more books, reports and articles, see our Reading & Literature page.
- Burke, P. J., Cameron, C., Fuller, E. & Hollingworth, K. (2021). The relational navigator: a pedagogical reframing of widening educational participation for care-experienced young people. IJSP, 10(1). Read the article →
- Charfe, L. & Gardner, A. (2020). ‘Does my Haltung look big in this?’: the use of social pedagogical theory for the development of ethical and value-led practice. IJSP, 9(1). Read the article →
- Nivala, E., & Ryynänen, S. (2025). An eco-social turn in social pedagogy. IJSP, 14(1). Read the article →
- Rothuizen, J. J. & Harbo, L. J. (2017). Social pedagogy: an approach without fixed recipes. IJSP, 6(1). Read the article →
- Ryynänen, S. & Nivala, E. (2019). Inequality as a social pedagogical question. IJSP, 7(1). Read the article →
- Storø, J. (2012). The difficult connection between theory and practice in social pedagogy. IJSP, 1(1). Read the article →
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