The Tulane Journal of Policy and Political Economy, a student-run publication focused exclusively on undergraduate research, is guided by this principle.

Founded in early 2020 by six Tulane undergraduates, the journal has grown from a passion project into an internationally recognized publication. Managed by a staff of 72 Tulane students and professors, the journal combines a rigorous peer-review process — including a review panel of 50 Tulane faculty — with a national outreach program to connect with undergrads throughout the global academic community.

After a year of work, the journal released its inaugural edition in early 2021, receiving 82 submissions from 38 universities across four continents. Featuring research on topics ranging from Eastern European cybersecurity to reproductive health policy, this volume has been indexed in the Library of Congress and is available both digitally and in print.

Funded by Newcomb-Tulane College and partnered with the Tulane departments of Political Science and Economics, the School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, and student societies at universities across the U.S. and U.K., the journal is dedicated not only to publishing student research, but to amplifying it across the world.

Mark Vail, professor of political science and the journal’s faculty adviser, said the journal strikes “the delicate but crucial balance between giving voice to the distinctive perspectives of ambitious undergraduate students while doing so on a scale that allows for a real presence in the broader scholarly community.”

With its editorial rigor and national scope, the Tulane Journal of Policy and Political Economy is transforming the field of undergraduate publishing, building a more accessible — and equitable — environment for student researchers.

Max Weber is a senior in the School of Liberal Arts and the journal’s founding editor-in-chief.