Time: 13:00-15:00 (UK Time), Wednesday, 1 February 2023
Presenter: Prof. Andy Mckay, University of Sussex
Chair: Prof. Victor Murinde, SOAS University of London

Abstract
Researchers based in low-income countries typically face major challenges in publishing their work in international journals, much more so than those faced by researchers in the high-income countries of Europe and North America.  This paper studies this issue based on the experience of papers submitted to one international journal in development economics, the Review of Development Economics.  The paper begins by introducing the issue and providing the background about the journal; but the main focus of the paper is an examination of the publication fortunes of all papers submitted to the journal between 2015 and April 2022, disaggregated by the country in which the corresponding author is based and focusing especially on low- and middle-income countries.  Papers submitted from authors based in low- and middle-income countries were significantly less likely to be sent for review by the journal; if reviewed they were also less likely to be accepted than papers from authors in high-income countries, though this differential is much less sharp.  Some constructive suggestions on responding to this situation are discussed.

Presenter

Andy McKay is Professor of Development Economics at the University of Sussex, where he has worked since 2006. At different times he has taught development economics to final year undergraduates and MSc students. In different university positions he has supervised more than 30 PhD theses in many areas of development economics. His focus in terms of research has been on issues of poverty and living standards, on labour issues in developing countries, especially as they relate to young people, as well as on agriculture and trade. He has recently led or co-led two research grants on themes relating to female labour in Africa and South Asia. For many years he has acted as a regular resource person for the Biannual Meetings of the African Economic Research Consortium (AERC); and in recent years he has acted as Managing Editor of the Review of Development Economics. This seminar draws on his editorial experience combined with his focus on capacity building.