Will my Paper be Rejected More Easily, or Even Automatically, if I am from the Global South?

Abstract

There exist concerns about potential bias against Global South scholars in academic publishing. While discrimination exists, in academia as in life, I suggest this statement is an oversimplification. It is obviously worth acting if we witness clear signs of discrimination, but no work is immune from errors and an accepted paper might still offer room for improvement. Accordingly, rejection is a chance to revisit your work critically and improve it. In the piece, I offer an overview of the most common reasons for paper rejections, including unclear structure, weak methodology, language barriers, and insufficient engagement with global debates and practical advice for improving your manuscript (and possibly acceptance rate). They can range from co-authoring with international colleagues, to seeking feedback at conferences, reviewing for target journals, and pay special attention to methodological approaches.