Aims & Scope

Ho Chi Minh City Open University Journal of Science - Social Sciences is an international, peer-reviewed, open-access scholarly journal established in 2011 as a specialized journal developed from the Ho Chi Minh City Open University Journal of Science, established in 2006. The Journal is dedicated to advancing interdisciplinary scholarship in the social sciences, education, law, public policy, linguistics, psychology, applied humanities, and related disciplines.

The Journal publishes high-quality research that makes significant contributions to understanding contemporary social transformations, promoting human development, advancing educational innovation, enhancing governance and public policy, and addressing societal challenges arising from globalization, digital transformation, international integration, and sustainable development. In particular, the Journal encourages studies that integrate theoretical perspectives, empirical evidence, policy analysis, and interdisciplinary methodologies to generate knowledge with scholarly significance, practical relevance, and societal impact.

The journal particularly welcomes manuscripts that provide new insights into Vietnam, ASEAN, Asia, and other transitional societies; develop innovative theoretical, methodological, or empirical approaches; or generate evidence with meaningful implications for education, law, public governance, community development, and social policy. Submitted manuscripts are expected to advance the state of the art within their respective fields while demonstrating the potential to generate meaningful impact on scholarly research, professional practice, education, and public policymaking.

The Journal serves an international community of researchers, academics, educators, policymakers, public administrators, legal practitioners, social organizations, and professionals engaged in the social sciences, education, law, public policy, linguistics, psychology, and applied humanities.

Scope of the Journal

The Journal welcomes original research in, but not limited to, the following areas:

Social Transformation, Governance, and Public Policy

  • Sociology and social transformation;
  • Public policy and public governance;
  • Governance, institutions, and social development;
  • Community development, social welfare, and social inclusion;
  • Social justice, equality, and contemporary social issues.

Education, Lifelong Learning, and Human Development

  • Education and educational innovation;
  • Open education, distance education, and lifelong learning;
  • Educational leadership, management, and education policy;
  • Educational psychology and human development;
  • Social inclusion, learner competencies, and skills development.

Law, Governance, and Policy Studies

  • Legal studies in contemporary social contexts;
  • Legal reform and public policy;
  • Law, governance, and sustainable development;
  • Human rights, social justice, and access to justice;
  • Interdisciplinary studies integrating law, society, and public policy.

Language, Culture, and Asian Societies

  • Linguistics and language education;
  • Communication, culture, and media studies;
  • Intercultural studies and Asian societies;
  • Philosophy, ethics, and political science;
  • Interdisciplinary studies on culture, humanity, and society.

Expected Scholarly Contributions

Submitted manuscripts should demonstrate scientific originality, scholarly significance, and practical and policy relevance. Manuscripts are expected to make at least one of the following contributions:

  • Theoretical contribution;
  • Empirical contribution;
  • Methodological contribution;
  • Policy implications;
  • Educational or societal implications;
  • Comparative or contextual contributions relating to Vietnam, ASEAN, Asia, or other transitional societies.

Types of Articles

The Journal considers the following categories of manuscripts:

  • Original Research Articles;
  • Review Articles;
  • Systematic Reviews;
  • Scoping Reviews;
  • Bibliometric Studies;
  • Policy Analysis Articles;
  • Comparative Studies;
  • Scholarly Exchange and Commentary.

Out of Scope

The Journal does not consider manuscripts that:

  • fall outside the disciplinary scope defined above;
  • do not conform to the article types accepted by the Journal;
  • are primarily descriptive without demonstrating meaningful scholarly contribution;
  • present commentaries that are not supported by scientific evidence;
  • fail to employ a clearly articulated research methodology;
  • address purely doctrinal legal issues without broader social, policy, or scholarly implications;
  • focus solely on technical aspects of linguistics without educational, cultural, or social significance;
  • fall outside the scope of the social sciences, education, law, public policy, linguistics, psychology, and applied humanities.