JANUS.NET, e-journal of International Relations is a scientific journal in the area of International Relations edited by OBSERVARE-Observatory of Foreign Relations, a research unit based at the Universidade Autónoma de Lisboa, Portugal. Following the most rigorous scientific standards, indexed in the most important international networks and accredited by agencies of several countries, JANUS.NET is published since 2010, biannually (May and November) – although it may have other thematic special issues -, always bilingual (usually English and Portuguese) and exclusively online with free access.
The title “Janus” recalls to the deity with two opposite faces, of Indo-European origin and one of the oldest in Rome. God of the beginnings (month of January) and of the transitions between the past and the future, watches over both the inside and the outside, right and left, what is forward and backward, symbolising here the necessary versatility and diversity in the analysis of International Relations. Also in the title, the references “net” and “e-journal” refer to an exclusively online publication. The title JANUS.NET thus synthesises the main objective of the journal: to promote and disseminate knowledge and scientific work in a broad and diversified conception of International Relations. This goal is favored by the fact that it is available online with totally free access and is also always published in two different languages: in English and in the original language of the author if Portuguese, French, Italian or Spanish (whenever the original article is submitted in English, the other language of publication is Portuguese).
JANUS.NET assumes a holistic, multidimensional and interdisciplinary vision of “International Relations”. Hence, its contents cover a wide range of subjects (from crises and conflicts to the impacts of climate and demographic changes, from technology to trade, resources, human rights, political leaderships, theoretical and conceptual debates, etc. ) and a multiplicity of perspectives and scientific areas – from International Relations to History, from Law to Geopolitics, Psychology, Philosophy, Political Science, Communication Sciences, Security Studies, Regional Studies, Polemology, Anthropology, Strategy, Sociology, Geography, Economics and others -, as long as they have interest and pertinence for the understanding, analysis and interpretation of behaviours, interactions and international processes. Without being bound to a single paradigm of analysis, JANUS.NET assumes as beneficial for scientific knowledge and progress that issues are also approached from a multidimensional perspective, articulating political, economic, strategic, social, cultural and environmental perspectives.
On the other hand, JANUS.NET, e-journal of international relations neither has nor seeks to create a “school of thought”, welcoming and publishing articles with different theoretical, ideological and political visions, leaving it up to each reader to draw from this scientifically-based diversity his or her own reflections and conclusions. The journal is, therefore, a space for sharing and disseminating knowledge and experiences, but also for the debate of ideas, perspectives and arguments.
JANUS.NET fully respects the ethical principles of scientific work and is guided by the most demanding international standards of indexing and peer review. It only publishes original scientific articles with the prior appreciation and approval of at least two scientific reviewers by blind referee system. Besides scientific articles, the journal also has two other sections: “notes and reflections” – for the publication of other original texts of a less scientific, but no less rigorous, nature – and another section for “critical reviews” of books and articles.