Research for Social Impact (RefSI) is a peer-reviewed, open-access academic journal committed to publishing interdisciplinary research that promotes inclusive, equitable, and just societies. The journal welcomes submissions that explore critical theories, participatory research methods, community-led innovations, and transformative approaches to social change. RefSI provides a platform for scholars, practitioners, and activists who are working to address systemic inequality and create meaningful, real-world impact through research.
RefSI publishes original research articles, review essays, case studies, and reflective pieces that contribute to a deeper understanding of social justice, inclusion, equity, and sustainability across disciplines. We are especially interested in work that bridges the gap between theory and practice, and which centers marginalized voices and community perspectives.
RefSI is an open-access journal. All articles are freely available to read, download, and share immediately upon publication. We do not charge article processing fees. Our open access policy supports global knowledge exchange and equitable access to academic resources, in alignment with the principles of the Budapest Open Access Initiative.
Authors must disclose any use of generative AI tools (e.g., ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini) in the production of their submissions. Acceptable uses include language editing, summarization, and formatting assistance. However, all intellectual contributions—such as argument development, data analysis, interpretation, and original writing—must be the work of the named authors. Submissions that rely heavily on AI-generated content or lack sufficient human authorship will not be accepted.
Authors retain the copyright of their work published in RefSI. By submitting to this journal, authors grant RefSI the right to publish and distribute their articles under a Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license, which allows others to share and adapt the work with proper attribution.
