Discover Global Society (Springer Nature, Scopus, Q2) — Collection on Sustainable and Democratic Governance: Intersecting Law, Society, and Digital Ecosystems

Discover Global Society is a transdisciplinary, open access journal published by Springer Nature that publishes societal research across all areas of modern global society and its challenges. The journal welcomes research on the complexities of modern global society, its development and its challenges, and encourages scholarship examining the impact of globalization, neoliberalism and growing internationalism on different aspects of societies in different regions and regimes.

Its scope covers social problems, social change, sustainability, urbanization, global governance and issues related to governance, public policy, social policy and welfare, globalization, inequality, poverty and discrimination, migration, and aspects of law in relation to society. The journal is open to different methodological and theoretical approaches and particularly welcomes work contributing to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals of no poverty, gender equality, and strong institutions.

Per SCImago Journal & Country Rank (metrics based on Scopus data as of March 2026), Discover Global Society is indexed in Scopus with coverage from 2023 to 2026.

• ISSN: 2731-9687
• Publisher: Springer Nature
• SJR 2025: 0.356 (Q2)
• H-Index: 8
• Scopus subject categories: Anthropology (Q2); Gender Studies (Q2); Social Sciences, miscellaneous (Q2); Sociology and Political Science (Q2)
• Publishing model: Open access
• Median submission to first decision: 22 days

The world today stands at a crossroads between rapid technological advancement and the urgent need for sustainable governance. Digitalization is no longer merely an administrative tool, but rather a governmental infrastructure that regulates rights and social behaviour on a global scale. However, this phenomenon is ambivalent: it promises transparency and participation, while simultaneously risking the creation of exclusion, concentration of power, and the fragility of democracy that transcends national borders.

From a global perspective, digital governance can no longer be viewed as a purely domestic issue. Transnational digital architecture has challenged traditional legal sovereignty. As data flows without regard for territorial boundaries, tensions arise between the dominant regulatory models of the Global North and the socio-political realities of the Global South.

Through these interdisciplinary discussions, it is hoped that a global understanding will emerge regarding how law and society can adapt to ensure that the digital ecosystem continues to support the principles of democracy and future sustainability.

There are five main themes to be discussed:

• Digital Governance & Democratic Resilience: Focusing on algorithmic accountability and data transparency to safeguard democratic values from the erosion of civic space at the global level.
• Legal Boundaries in the Digital Ecosystem: Examining the readiness of legal systems to regulate global platforms and data privacy as a fundamental human right.
• Social Equity & the Digital Divide: Critiquing marginalization in the Global South and promoting the empowerment of vulnerable groups through equitable access to technology.
• Sustainable Technology & Environmental Governance: Balancing the use of Big Data for global climate mitigation with responsibility for carbon footprints.
• Cyber Ethics & Social Resilience: Formulating international strategies against disinformation and polarization through digital literacy grounded in the value of honesty.

Keywords: Digital Governance, Democratic Resilience, Legal Boundaries in the Digital Ecosystem, Sustainable Technology, Environmental Governance, Cyber Ethics, Social Resilience.

Andi Luhur Prianto PhD, Muhammadiyah University of Makassar, Makassar, Indonesia.

Dr. Andi Luhur Prianto is an associate professor, editor, and scholar with over 18 years of teaching and research experience in political science and government. He is Dean at the Faculty of Social and Political Science, Universitas Muhammadiyah Makassar, Indonesia, and previously served as Vice-Dean and Head at the Department of Government Studies of the same faculty. He has also served as a visiting research fellow at the Department of Politics and Economics, Center for East-European Studies, Universitat Bremen, Germany, and is Chief Editor for Otoritas: Jurnal Ilmu Pemerintahan (Political Science & Government Journal).

The journal accepts the following article types, among others:

• Research: presenting new scientific results within the scope of the journal that have not been published previously and are not under consideration elsewhere.
• Brief Report: short papers presenting significant new observations of wide potential interest that are likely to stimulate further research.
• Case Study: reporting specific instances of interesting phenomena, supporting research and education through the transferability of experiences, events and experiments.
• Comment: focused on policy, science and society, or purely scientific issues, written in an accessible, non-technical style. Comments are usually commissioned by editors.

Submissions to this journal are made using Snapp, Springer Nature's manuscript tracking system. For all article types, authors need to upload:

• The manuscript file
• An abstract of less than 250 words
• A cover letter outlining the research, briefly discussing the context and importance of the submitted work and why it is appropriate for the journal
• Optional: figure files, tables, supplementary material and related files

Submitting to a collection follows the same process as submitting to the journal. The only difference is that in Snapp, on the 'Details' tab, authors must select the relevant collection from the drop-down menu.

Discover Global Society is an open access journal. An article processing charge (APC) applies for each article accepted for publication. The current APC is GBP 990.00 / USD 1440.00 / EUR 1140.00, subject to VAT or local taxes where applicable. The APC price is determined from the date on which the article is accepted for publication.

Springer Nature notes that authors may be able to save on open access publication fees through institutional agreements and open access funding. Authors should check their institution's status on the journal's fees and funding page.

Submit the manuscript through Springer Nature's Snapp submission system for Discover Global Society, selecting the collection 'Sustainable and Democratic Governance: Intersecting Law, Society, and Digital Ecosystems' from the drop-down menu on the 'Details' tab. The collection is open for submissions until 31 March 2027.