About this Research Topic

Background

The submission date has been extended to December 31, 2024. It will not be extended further. Sponsorship funds to cover publication costs are being distributed in the order that manuscripts are accepted. If you require sponsorship to publish, we strongly encourage you to submit your manuscript as soon as possible.

*The Smithsonian Institution has offered to cover the publication costs of most, if not all, of the papers accepted for this Research Topic.*

There is a need to conceptualize an environmental justice framework that informs regulation of the international wildlife trade to minimize species endangerment and infectious disease risks while also affording environmental justice to communities, nations, species, and ecological systems entwined in the commerce pathway. This Research Topic is dedicated to advancing the science of environmental justice in the international wildlife trade from both "problems" and "solutions" perspectives. We welcome manuscripts relevant to legal and/or illegal aspects of the international wildlife trade. Submissions must be of a scholarly nature and framed from a social sciences perspective, although inter-disciplinary work is encouraged.

The international wildlife trade has been recognized as one of the greatest threats to biodiversity, as well as a facilitator of zoonotic disease transmission with pandemic potential. This has led to increased calls for regulation of this megabillion/year industry—ranging from comprehensive bans to risk-based strategies that are species, product, and/or geography specific. Every aspect of wildlife commerce and every proposed risk mitigation measure has implications for environmental justice, yet environmental justice has not been mainstreamed in the scientific inquiry, policy, nor planning processes relative to the international wildlife trade. Because wildlife trade has diverse drivers and purposes, as well as different levels of legality, social legitimacy, and enforcement, there is an urgent need to understand the environmental justice issues tied to consumer demand vs. supply provision along the trade chain, including how this is influenced by economic, cultural, and geographic biases. An understanding of environmental justice patterns and trends is necessary for the design and support of effective regulatory frameworks that manage risks in actuality, rather than merely in concept. Determining where and how to permit and support legal and sustainable wildlife trade, versus where it should be more tightly regulated or even cease, requires at least as much understanding of the human animal as it does the wildlife species.

A greater understanding of the political economy of the illegal aspects of the international wildlife trade from an environmental justice perspective can also open new vistas of green criminological inquiry. Ecological citizenship and environmental justice are central themes in green criminology highly relevant to the wildlife trade. They recognize justice as central to the right to be protected from harm, whether that is one-on-one harm, institutionalized harm, or harm arising from human actions that affect climates and environments on a global scale. The recognition of such rights in trade regulation is scant and more likely overshadowed by a desire to protect the economic value of a “good” rather than the inherent value of the wild animal being consumed.

We will prioritize papers that use social science approaches/tools to empirically investigate aspects of environmental justice in the international wildlife trade. Manuscripts should be framed so as to facilitate development of an environmental justice framework that informs regulation of the international wildlife trade to minimize species endangerment and infectious disease risks while also affording environmental justice to communities, nations, and ecological systems entwined in the commerce pathway. We welcome manuscripts relevant to legal and/or illegal aspects of the international wildlife trade. Submissions must be of a scholarly nature - we will not accept advocacy documents. The following manuscript types will also be considered if the contributions are sufficiently innovative/transformative:

1) Case studies of environmental justice problems/resolutions in the international wildlife trade context.

2) Models for advancing the science of environmental justice in the international wildlife trade context.

3) Analyses of international wildlife trade law/policy frameworks with a view toward integrating environmental justice issues (as rooted in scholarly science).

All papers should emphasize conservation goals/outcomes. Direct inquiries about other manuscript themes/types to Dr. Jamie K. Reaser at Reaserjk@si.edu

This Research Topic was developed in collaboration with the IUCN Commission on Education and Communication (https://www.iucn.org/our-union/commissions/commission-education-and-communication) and the International Alliance Against Health Risks in the Wildlife Trade (https://alliance-health-wildlife.org).

Article types and fees

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Community Case Study
• Data Report
• Editorial
• General Commentary
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Methods
• Mini Review
• Opinion
• ... View all formats

Articles that are accepted for publication by our external editors following rigorous peer review incur a publishing fee charged to Authors, institutions, or funders.

Article types

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Community Case Study
• Data Report
• Editorial
• General Commentary
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Methods
• Mini Review
• Opinion
• Original Research
• Perspective
• Policy and Practice Reviews
• Policy Brief
• Registered Report
• Review
• Systematic Review
• Technology and Code

Keywords: conservation, environmental justice, green criminology, human dimensions, policy, wildlife trade

Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.

Frequently asked questions

• What is a Research Topic?

  Frontiers' Research Topics are collaborative hubs built around an emerging theme.Defined, managed, and led by renowned researchers, they bring communities together around a shared area of interest to stimulate collaboration and innovation.

  Unlike section journals, which serve established specialty communities, Research Topics are pioneer hubs, responding to the evolving scientific landscape and catering to new communities.

• Why does Frontiers publish Research Topics? 

  The goal of Frontiers' publishing program is to empower research communities to actively steer the course of scientific publishing. Our program was implemented as a three-part unit with fixed field journals, flexible specialty sections, and dynamically emerging Research Topics, connecting communities of different sizes and maturity.

  Research Topics originate from the scientific community. Many of our Research Topics are suggested by existing editorial board members who have identified critical challenges or areas of interest in their field.

• Why are Research Topics important for journals?

  As an editor, Research Topics will help you build your journal, as well as your community, around emerging, cutting-edge research. As research trailblazers, Research Topics attract high-quality submissions from leading experts all over the world.

  A thriving Research Topic can potentially evolve into a new specialty section if there is sustained interest and a growing community around it.

• How do we ensure the quality of articles within Research Topics?

  Each Research Topic must be approved by the specialty chief editor, and they fall under the editorial oversight of our editorial boards, supported by our in-house research integrity team. The same standards and rigorous peer review processes apply to articles published as part of a Research Topic as for any other article we publish.

    In 2023, 80% of the Research Topics we published were edited or co-edited by our editorial board members, who are already familiar with their journal's scope, ethos, and publishing model. All other topics are guest edited by leaders in their field, each vetted and formally approved by the specialty chief editor.

• What are the benefits of publishing my article in a Research Topic?

  Publishing your article within a Research Topic with other related articles increases its discoverability and visibility, which can lead to more views, downloads, and citations. Research Topics grow dynamically as more published articles are added, causing frequent revisiting, and further visibility.

  As Research Topics are multidisciplinary, they are cross-listed in several fields and section journals – increasing your reach even more and giving you the chance to expand your network and collaborate with researchers in different fields, all focusing on expanding knowledge around the same important topic.

  Our larger Research Topics are also converted into ebooks and receive social media promotion from our digital marketing team.

   
• What types of articles can be published in a Research Topic?

  Frontiers offers multiple article types, but it will depend on the field and section journals in which the Research Topic will be featured. The available article types for a Research Topic will appear in the drop-down menu during the submission process.

  Check available article types here 

• Can I suggest a new Research Topic? 

  Yes, we would love to hear your ideas for a topic. Most of our Research Topics are community-led and suggested by researchers in the field. Our in-house editorial team will contact you to talk about your idea and whether you’d like to edit the topic. If you’re an early-stage researcher, we will offer you the opportunity to coordinate your topic, with the support of a senior researcher as the topic editor. 

  Suggest your topic here 

• Who leads a Research Topic? 

  A team of guest editors (called topic editors) lead their Research Topic. This editorial team oversees the entire process, from the initial topic proposal to calls for participation, the peer review, and final publications.

  The team may also include topic coordinators, who help the topic editors send calls for participation, liaise with topic editors on abstracts, and support contributing authors. In some cases, they can also be assigned as reviewers.

• What is the role of a topic editor?

  As a topic editor (TE), you will take the lead on all editorial decisions for the Research Topic, starting with defining its scope. This allows you to curate research around a topic that interests you, bring together different perspectives from leading researchers across different fields and shape the future of your field. 

   

  You will choose your team of co-editors, curate a list of potential authors, send calls for participation and oversee the peer review process, accepting or recommending rejection for each manuscript submitted.

• What support will I receive when editing a new Research Topic? 

  As a topic editor, you're supported at every stage by our in-house team. You will be assigned a single point of contact to help you on both editorial and technical matters. Your topic is managed through our user-friendly online platform, and the peer review process is supported by our industry-first AI review assistant (AIRA).

• As a junior researcher, can I be involved in editing a Research Topic? 

  If you’re an early-stage researcher, we will offer you the opportunity to coordinate your topic, with the support of a senior researcher as the topic editor. This provides you with valuable editorial experience, improving your ability to critically evaluate research articles and enhancing your understanding of the quality standards and requirements for scientific publishing, as well as the opportunity to discover new research in your field, and expand your professional network.

• Can I get a certificate for editing a Research Topic?

  Yes, certificates can be issued on request. We are happy to provide a certificate for your contribution to editing a successful Research Topic.

• Who will I collaborate with?

  Research Topics thrive on collaboration and their multi-disciplinary approach around emerging, cutting-edge themes, attract leading researchers from all over the world.

• How long does it take to publish a Research Topic?

  As a topic editor, you can set the timeline for your Research Topic, and we will work with you at your pace. Typically, Research Topics are online and open for submissions within a few weeks and remain open for participation for 6 – 12 months. Individual articles within a Research Topic are published as soon as they are ready.

  Find out more about our Research Topics

• What fee support is available to authors publishing in a Research Topic?

  Our fee support program ensures that all articles that pass peer review, including those published in Research Topics, can benefit from open access – regardless of the author's field or funding situation.

  Authors and institutions with insufficient funding can apply for a discount on their publishing fees. A fee support application form is available on our website.

• Will there be a printed version of my RT?

  In line with our mission to promote healthy lives on a healthy planet, we do not provide printed materials. All our articles and ebooks are available under a CC-BY license, so you can share and print copies.