Would you like to volunteer some time to help us bring the latest research to the largest International Relations academic audience on the internet? If so, please read on!
E-International Relations is the world’s leading source for International Relations scholarship and insight. The website was established in 2007 and reaches over 3 million readers per year. We have published over 10,000 academic articles/interviews/reviews, a range of open access books and the Thinking Global podcast – all of which are free to access. We maintain an impartial editorial stance based on scholarly principles that seeks to provide an open platform to allow our authors the freedom to present expert analysis from the widest range of positions. We do not have any corporate backers/owners, investors, nor do we receive financial backing from other organisations – educational, political or otherwise.
E-International Relations is staffed by an all-volunteer team of academics, practitioners and students who work remotely from locations all over the world. We raise our operating budget through advertising, book sales, donations – and from the kindness of our subscribers on Substack where we mirror/cross post all of our content (with no paywall) and produce a fortnightly newsletter. We define International Relations widely. This includes related disciplines that lean into international issues such as History, Law, Sociology, Political Science, Area Studies and so on. So, if you work within, or at the intersection, of one or more of those areas, we welcome your interest.
About the role
Commissioning is a dynamic and rewarding role for anyone who enjoys reading, and helping to disseminate, the latest research to our audience of millions of readers. The role is designed for those who are engaged in higher level reading, and research, and who immerse themselves in scholarly debates. For those reasons, we typically seek applications from PhD students/candidates, postdocs and Master’s students (taught or research). In specific terms, the role involves identifying (and then working with) authors in the subjects/areas you are interested in to commission unique content for the website. This can take various forms, such as articles (of varying lengths), interviews (written or audio), or review features.
In this volunteer role, you will be responsible for researching and contacting potential authors yourself – though we will give you guidance and mentor you through the process. Every piece of work a Commissioning Editor contributes to is given credit which appears permanently on the output, amounting to a verified record of your efforts. You are empowered to set your own agenda and fit this role around your busy schedule as it suits you best, but you should understand that the role is self-starting … so you need to bring your own momentum, passion and drive. Everything we publish is open access and non paywalled, so you can share your successes to anyone who can click a link.
What do you get out of it?
Volunteering with E-International Relations is not your typical ‘work experience’. First, we coordinate our activities remotely using Slack. So, you do not need to physically attend a place of work to volunteer with us. Second, we have no paid staff, we are all volunteers. We volunteer some of our spare time because we want to have a hand in maintaining the best online resource for students and scholars of international politics. Finally, we empower our editors to learn skills, manage their own time and develop their own projects. The result is that the more volunteers give of themselves, the more they take away from the experience. It is no surprise that many of our editors have built on their experience with us to go on to senior positions in the publishing industry, politics, and academia.
In addition:
- By networking with our editorial team and with other academics in a professional context you will grow your profile and build up links for collaborations and future projects that will add value to your academic and professional journey.
- You will sharpen your editorial skills, which also reflects back on helping you become a better writer.
- You will learn about the academic and publishing industries.
- You will get something of value to place on your CV, and can request a reference/letter of recommendation if you ever need one in the future.
- In addition to commissioning, you can take part in other activities and projects (if you want to) across our operations – these include volunteering on podcasts and books.
If you would like to apply for this voluntary position, send an email titled ‘Commissioning Editor’ to [email protected]. Within that email please:
- Briefly outline your academic and professional trajectory by detailing what you have studied in the past, what you are studying/doing now, and what you intend to do next (250 words max).
- Detail the kind of content, and authors, you would like to commission for E-International Relations. The more specific you are here, the better (350 words max).
- Attach (or link) one academic writing sample that best represents your abilities thus far.
- Attach a one page CV/resume, or link a professional web page.
- Confirm to us in your email that you are able to aside at least 5 hours a week and can foresee committing to the role for at least 6–12 months. As this is a voluntary role, we are (of course) flexible. But these are the minimums that would allow you to get the most out of the role.
*Don’t use AI to generate text for any of the above. We’re humans, and we expect to read the thoughts of fellow humans!
This application cycle is open until 28 April 2026 and we welcome applications at any time between now and then. Unfortunately, we are unable to reply to those who we do not shortlist.
Further Reading on E-International Relations
