Spatial Research and Planning

The journal "Spatial Research and Planning" is published in cooperation with the leading spatial science and research institutions within the Leibniz Association: the IRS, Academy for Territorial Development in the Leibniz Association (ARL) in Hanover, the Leibniz Institute for Regional Geography (IfL) in Leipzig, the Leibniz Institute of Ecological Urban and Regional Development (IOER) in Dresden and theResearch Institute for Regional and Urban Development (ILS) in Dortmund. The journal has been published by oekom verlag since the beginning of 2021 in the Open Access publication model (Golden Way). Publications in the journal appear in digital and print form. The digital version can be read and downloaded free of charge and is available via the journal's website and repositories. The print version of R&R is published six times a year.

"Spatial Research and Spatial Planning" sees itself as an interdisciplinary publication platform for contributions to spatial science in the broadest sense. The publication profile allows for theoretical and methodological articles as well as articles from empirical primary research. It is based on a broad understanding of spatial sciences: in addition to geography, regional sciences and the various planning disciplines (e.g. urban, spatial, landscape or environmental planning), the social sciences (sociology, political science, economics) and other disciplines (e.g. history) are also covered in their spatially open varieties (e.g. urban sociology, regional economics, urban history).

All submitted manuscripts undergo a double-blind peer review process according to internationally recognized standards to ensure their scientific quality before publication. The authors do not find out which scientists have reviewed their text (free of charge, by the way); the reviewers do not find out who wrote the text. They are selected solely on the basis of their specialist expertise or are requested by the editors and should preferably have relevant knowledge in the same subject area as the authors, but independently of them. Before printing, all manuscripts must have been assessed by at least two peer reviewers (i.e. colleagues of equal standing) and recommended for publication, subject to conditions if necessary. In cases of doubt or in the case of very divergent assessments, the editorial board will obtain a third peer review as a decision-making opinion.

RuR only publishes manuscripts that are actively offered to the editors. The journal does not acquire authors on its own (solicitation of articles). Articles must be unpublished (original contributions) and must not have already been submitted for publication elsewhere. Articles can be published in German or English. Manuscripts will be assigned to the categories "For discussion", "Scientific contribution" or "Report from research and practice" for publication. RuR also publishes short (non-peer-reviewed) book reviews as manuscript categories, and each printed issue is usually opened by an introductory article penned by the editorial board (editorial), which is also not formally peer-reviewed.

The editorial board of RuR works to realize the fairest and most productive review process in the German-speaking world. The authors therefore do not receive the unfiltered result of the review 1:1, but rather a presentation organized and summarized by the editorial board with the recommendations for revision and qualification of the respective manuscript.