The development of a discipline: A 20-year evaluation of Society and Natural Resources

This article presents an assessment of the first 20 years of Society & Natural Resources (SNR), based on a content analysis of places, topics, and methods published; an electronic survey of the membership of the International Association for Society and Natural Resources (IASNR); and an assessment of various measures of journal impact. Findings are used to determine how well the journal is meeting its original goals including the degree to which it is international, diverse, and authoritative. The journal, the International Symposium for Society and Resource Management (ISSRM) conferences, and the membership of IASNR are international, although the developing world is largely absent from membership and research. Articles published in the journal are highly diverse, in terms of the types of articles, topical focus, and the methods used. Conventional journal impact measures show the journal's status to be improving over time. Citation patterns within SNR and its peer journals suggest that cumulative learning is occurring, although the impact of SNR on primary peer journals is mixed.

Duke Scholars

Author Toddi Steelman Environmental Sciences and Policy