JELS Accepted for Scopus Coverage

23-08-2026

We are delighted to announce that the Journal of Economics, Law and Society (JELS) (ISSN 3029-3189) has been officially accepted for coverage in Scopus, Elsevier's leading abstract and citation database, following review and approval by the Content Selection and Advisory Board (CSAB).

This milestone marks a significant moment in the journal's short history. Launched in March 2024, JELS was established to explore the intersection of economics, law, and society, with a distinct focus on Islamic economics, banking, and finance. Being welcomed into Scopus within just a few years of launch is a rare achievement, and one that reflects the collective effort of our editorial board, reviewers, and authors.

What the Reviewers Said

As part of its evaluation, the CSAB highlighted several strengths of the journal:

  • Articles are "research-based, well grounded in literature and consistently referenced," with "good layout and presentation" and "good editor standing."

  • JELS has a clear research identity and effectively serves its niche academic audience in Islamic economics, banking, and finance.

  • The journal's contributor base is globally inclusive, with particular strength across the Middle East, Eastern Europe, and Southeast Asia.

  • Published work was described as methodologically sound and internationally relevant.

We are proud that the qualities our editorial team, reviewers, and authors have worked to build were recognized at this level.

Looking Ahead

Alongside this recognition, the review also identified areas for continued growth, which we are already acting on: strengthening citation performance as the journal matures beyond its 2024 launch, sharpening how our regional focus is articulated in our aims and scope, and enhancing manuscript metadata (including revision dates) in future publications. We see these not as shortcomings, but as a roadmap for consolidating this achievement in the years ahead.

Per Scopus policy, indexed coverage is generally backdated to the year of selection minus four; the exact starting coverage year for JELS will be confirmed once reflected on the official Scopus Title List, expected within the coming weeks.

Call for Papers

To build on this momentum, JELS is now formally calling for papers for its upcoming issue(s). We welcome original, rigorous submissions on topics including:

  • Islamic economics, banking, and finance

  • Sukuk, Islamic capital markets, and debt composition

  • Fintech, digital finance, and financial inclusion

  • Law and economics, regulatory and governance issues

  • Comparative and empirical studies relevant to the GCC, MENA, and broader emerging markets

Manuscripts are accepted in English and should follow the journal's standard submission guidelines, available on our website.

Our Thanks

This achievement belongs to everyone who has been part of the JELS journey so far.

To our editorial and advisory board members: thank you for upholding the rigorous standards that made this recognition possible, and for your continued guidance as we grow.

To our reviewers: your careful, constructive feedback on every submission has directly shaped the quality that Scopus recognized.

To our authors: your research is the foundation of this journal, and this milestone is as much yours as it is ours.

We invite our community — board members, reviewers, authors, and readers alike — to help us build on this achievement by submitting new research, encouraging citation of JELS articles where relevant, and sharing this news with colleagues and networks who may be interested in contributing to future issues.

Submit your manuscript: jels.esrein.org
Questions: Please contact the editorial office via the journal website.

— Dr. Edib Smolo, Founder & Editor-in-Chief, Journal of Economics, Law and Society (JELS)