Circular Economy Innovation: Missions, Governance and Practice

Call for Papers

Special Issue: Circular Economy Innovation: Missions, Governance and Practice

Journal: Contemporary Social Science

Publisher: Taylor & Francis Group

Manuscript Deadline: 01 October 2026

About the Special Issue

Contemporary Social Science invites submissions for its Special Issue titled "Circular Economy Innovation: Missions, Governance and Practice." The Special Issue seeks original theoretical, conceptual, and empirical research that examines how circular economy (CE) innovation is governed, implemented, and sustained across different institutional, organizational, and geographical contexts.

Over the past decade, the circular economy has emerged as a key framework for sustainability, industrial transformation, and mission-oriented innovation policy. While research has expanded rapidly, much of the existing literature remains focused on technical and environmental perspectives. This Special Issue aims to strengthen social science contributions by exploring governance, institutional capacity, policy implementation, power relations, and place-based innovation that shape the success or failure of circular economy initiatives.

The issue encourages critical research that investigates why many circular economy missions remain fragmented, partial, or difficult to scale, while identifying governance approaches capable of supporting long-term, inclusive, and transformative sustainability transitions.

Scope and Topics of Interest

Submissions may include, but are not limited to:

• Circular economy missions and mission-oriented innovation

• Governance, coordination, and institutional capacity

• Policy implementation and organizational transformation

• Firms, business models, and circular economy practices

• Innovation networks and communities of practice

• Power, politics, and institutional change

• Place-based circular economy strategies

• Peripheral and resource-constrained regional development

• Social innovation, justice, and inclusive circular economy transitions

• Multi-level governance and comparative international perspectives

• Global North and Global South experiences in circular economy innovation

Submission Guidelines

• Full research papers should be 4,000–10,000 words.

• Short commentary papers of 2,000–4,000 words are also welcome.

• Manuscripts should be submitted by 01 October 2026 through the journal's official submission system.

• Conceptual, theoretical, empirical, qualitative, quantitative, mixed-method, and comparative studies are all encouraged.

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Nick Clifton
Cardiff Metropolitan University

Dr. Gary Walpole
Cardiff Metropolitan University

Ms. Laura Steffes
Cardiff Metropolitan University

Dr. Carla de Laurentis
University of the West of England

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