Asian Affairs

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Asian Affairs is a quarterly, peer‑reviewed journal that covers politics, international relations, and current issues in Asia. It draws on multiple disciplines such as sociology, anthropology, economics, and cultural studies, and is published by Routledge on behalf of the Royal Society for Asian Affairs (RSAA). The journal is written in English and offers hybrid open access.

History and name changes: It was established in 1914 as the Journal of the Central Asian Society, later renamed the Journal of the Royal Central Asian Society (1931–1969), and has published under the current title, Asian Affairs, since then. The editor-in-chief is Bill Hayton.

What the journal covers: It publishes research on contemporary Asia, with contributions from scholars around the world. The first issue in 1914 included pieces like A Visit to Mongolia by E. Manico Gull, reports on Captain F. M. Bailey’s explorations, and analyses of China’s coal industry. Book reviews were added in 1921, and subscriptions became available to non-members in 1922.

Editorial and publication history: Wartime measures led to combined issues in 1942. From 1965, the journal appeared three times a year (triannual) until 2018, when it switched back to a quarterly schedule, initially to accommodate special issues with another institution; the special-issue format did not continue.

Impact and indexing: The journal is indexed in major databases, and its 2024 impact factor is 1.1.

Editors: The journal began under the RSAA secretary, with the first editor-in-chief being Kay Beckett. The current editor-in-chief is Bill Hayton, who leads the editorial process today.