Journal History

Historical Milestones of Dynamics of Rural Society Journal

Period 2023: Laying the Foundation of the Journal

  • Vol. 1, Issue 1, January 2023 and Vol. 1, Issue 2, July 2023)
    - In its inaugural issue, The Dynamics of Rural Society Journal focused on rural studies and societal dynamics in Indonesia.
    - With the publication of the first and second editions, we acknowledge that the management of this journal was far from perfect. We were still in the learning process and adjusting, much like a newborn taking its first steps. We recognize that there are many aspects that need improvement and refinement as we strive to ensure the journal's growth and development in the future.
    - During this period, all the articles were written by Indonesian authors from our university. Given that we were still in the early stages, there weren’t many authors from outside our university who were interested in or aware of this journal. This situation was challenging for us, and we realized that in order to build a quality journal, we needed to make significant efforts. Thus, we reached out and tried to persuade friends and colleagues from outside our university to submit their articles. Unfortunately, none of those we contacted were willing to submit their work. In the end, we had to rely on articles from friends and colleagues within our university. We acknowledge that achieving our ambitious goals requires much more effort and perseverance.

  • Editorial Process (Vol. 1, Issue 1, January 2023 and Vol. 1, Issue 2, July 2023)
    We must be honest that the editorial process during this period required considerable effort. We reached out to friends and colleagues from outside our university to invite them to serve as editors and reviewers, but out of those contacted, only two to three people agreed. As a result, we had to rely on reviewers and editors from within our university. Despite this, we are confident that these significant efforts, though challenging, will pay off in the future as the journal's reputation and credibility grow.

  • Indexing Achievements in 2023
    Through relentless effort and perseverance, throughout 2023, this journal successfully achieved indexing in several prominent databases, marking a significant milestone in our journey. This achievement is a testament to our commitment and dedication to enhancing the quality of the journal, as well as an important step in expanding its reach and recognition among academics and researchers. As a result of these efforts, the journal has been indexed in several renowned platforms, including:

  • Foundation for Academic Recognition (2023)
    These achievements laid the foundation for the growing recognition of the journal within academic circles.

Period 2024: Reaching a Major Milestone in International Recognition

  • New Leadership in 2024
    In 2024, Sahrain Bumulo assumed the role of Editor-in-Chief, succeeding Dondick Wicaksono Wiroto. Under this new leadership, the journal intensified its focus on international collaboration and scholarly excellence.

  • Minimum Reference Policy (January 2024)
    In Volume 2, Issue 1 (January 2024), the journal introduced a minimum reference policy, requiring each article to have at least 15 references to ensure robust and comprehensive scholarship.

  • Volume 2, Issue 1 (January 2024)
    This issue introduced a revamped article template to enhance visual appeal, readability, and overall design quality.

  • Efforts towards Internationalization and Global Collaboration in the Review Process
    In early 2024, we made efforts to expand our international collaboration network by reaching out to a number of academics and experts in the fields of Sociology and rural community studies from various countries. Approximately 20 academics and experts were contacted via email, and we are extremely proud and excited that three of them, from Australia, Malaysia, and Nigeria, agreed to serve as reviewers and assess our articles for publication in Volume 2, Issue 2, July 2024.

  • Vol. 2, Issue 2, July 2024
    In Volume 2, Issue 2, July 2024, our journal began involving international reviewers from various countries, including Australia, Nigeria, and Malaysia. This marked an important step in our efforts to improve the quality of the journal and broaden the international perspective in the peer-review process, ensuring that the articles published meet high academic standards.

  • Indexing in DOAJ (October 29, 2024)
    With unwavering determination and consistent efforts to continuously develop the journal, our hard work began to yield results. One milestone after another was achieved, and on October 29, 2024, the journal we managed reached a significant achievement. On that date, our journal was accepted and indexed by the Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ). This accomplishment is not only the result of the tireless efforts of our editorial team but also a clear demonstration that our dedication, commitment, and continuous efforts to enhance the quality of the journal have produced tangible and meaningful outcomes.

  • MoU Signing with APSSI (November 22, 2024)
    On November 22, 2024, the journal signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Association of Sociology Study Programs in Indonesia (APSSI), facilitating the journal’s inclusion in the APSSI Journal Network.

  • Building Global Collaboration in the Review and Editorial Process
    Since being indexed in the DOAJ database in October 2024, we have made concerted efforts to expand our international collaboration network by reaching out to a number of academics and experts in the fields of Sociology and rural community studies from various countries. We invited these scholars, experts, and researchers to become part of the international editorial team and reviewer board. On a daily basis, we sent 100 emails to academics, experts, and researchers in the fields of Sociology and Rural Community Studies. Within a span of two months, approximately 15 academics, experts, and researchers from various countries agreed to join as editors, and 9 agreed to serve as reviewers (Malaysia, Australia, India, Philippines, Nigeria, Portugal, Spain, Sri Lanka, France, United Kingdom, Tanzania, Netherlands, Republic of Macedonia, United States, China, Canada).

Period 2025: Transformation Towards Global Standards in Publishing and Geographical Diversification

  • Vol. 3, Issue 1 (January 2025)

    • The journal began involving international reviewers from countries such as Australia, the Netherlands, the Republic of Macedonia, Nigeria, India, and Malaysia.
    • An international editorial board was established, consisting of members from Malaysia, Indonesia, Nigeria, and India.

  • Vol. 3, Issue 1 (January 2025)
    In this issue, the journal achieved significant geographical diversity among its contributors, who are writers and researchers from Indonesia, Nigeria, India, and China.

  • Volume 3, Issue 1 (January 2025)
    In this issue, further minor updates were made to maintain the journal's high standards and reader comfort.

  • Adoption of English as the Primary Language (January 2025)
    Starting from Volume 3, Issue 1 (January 2025), the journal transitioned to English as the primary language for publication, aligning with global academic standards and expanding its readership.

  • Volume 3, Issue 2 (In-Press July 2025)
    In this issue, the journal's geographical diversity among its writers has significantly increased, with contributors from Indonesia, Nigeria, Malaysia, and the Czech Republic.

The History and Development of the Dynamics of Rural Society Journal

The Dynamics of Rural Society Journal (DRSJ) was first initiated on October 27, 2022, and officially established on January 9, 2023, with the publication of its inaugural edition in Volume 1, Issue 1 in January 2023. DRSJ publishes articles biannually, in January and July, with five articles per volume and issue, meaning that approximately 10 articles are published each year. The journal's visitors come from more than 65 countries, demonstrating a broad global readership.

The primary purpose of DRSJ's establishment is to advance the study of rural communities and the socio-economic challenges they face. DRSJ is strongly committed to supporting and facilitating academics, researchers, and practitioners in developing, discussing, and publishing their scholarly work, particularly in the field of Social Sciences, with a primary focus on the dynamics of rural society.

As a peer-reviewed, Open Access scholarly journal, DRSJ is published by the Department of Sociology, Faculty of Social Sciences, Universitas Negeri Gorontalo, Gorontalo, Indonesia. The journal serves not only as a platform for academic publication but also as an effective medium for disseminating high-quality research findings, in-depth literature studies, and systematic conceptual thinking.

Since its first publication, DRSJ has experienced rapid growth in both publication quality and readership reach. The first edition, published in 2023, marked the beginning of the journal’s journey. From 2023 to 2024, the journal successfully indexed in several academic databases both nationally and internationally, including the Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ), Copernicus, Dimensions, Bielefeld Academic Search Engine (BASE), Google Scholar, Crossref, Garba Rujukan Digital (GARUDA), and Indonesia One Search. This recognition has strengthened DRSJ's visibility and impact in the global academic community, while enhancing the quality of the published content. The journal is currently preparing for submission to Scopus to further expand its international influence.

In its early years, DRSJ was led by Dondick Wicaksono Wiroto as Editor-in-Chief. His leadership lasted for one year, from 2023 to 2024. In 2024, leadership transitioned to Sahrain Bumulo, who currently serves as Editor-in-Chief. Under his leadership, DRSJ has undergone significant changes, particularly in editorial governance and the improvement of the quality of published articles. A key achievement has been the development of international collaboration networks involving reviewers and editorial board members from countries such as Malaysia, Australia, India, Philippines, Nigeria, Portugal, Spain, Sri Lanka, France, United Kingdom, Tanzania, Netherlands, Republic of Macedonia, United States, China, Canada as well as academics from prominent universities in Indonesia. This collaboration has enriched the quality of assessments and provided diverse perspectives in the peer review process, thereby enhancing the credibility of the journal.

As the journal has progressed, significant changes have been made in its governance and publication appearance. Starting with Volume 2, Issue 2, the journal implemented changes to its article template and layout. While these changes were not major, they positively impacted the visual appearance and accessibility for readers. These modifications reflect the journal’s commitment to staying current with international trends and standards in scholarly publishing.

Additionally, in Volume 3, Issue 1, a policy change was introduced regarding the language used in articles. Previously, articles in the journal could be written in either Indonesian or English, but from this issue onward, DRSJ adopted English as the primary language for article publication. This policy was implemented to enhance the journal's competitiveness at the international level and expand its global readership.

With stable leadership and continued development, DRSJ has grown into one of the leading journals in the field of rural society studies. The journal has made significant contributions to scientific literature and policy, focusing on rural community development. Moving forward, DRSJ is committed to remaining a primary reference in the study of social dynamics in rural areas and further strengthening its position in the international academic community.