The journal

The Estudos Avançados journal is a thrice-yearly publication of the Institute of Advanced Studies (IEA) of University of São Paulo (USP). Launched in December 1987, 103 editions have been published so far. Its endurance reflects, to be sure, the vitality achieved by the IEA.

The association with a research institute of higher learning that was established with clear multi- and trans-disciplinary purposes is a unique trait that, in several ways, makes the journal different from other publications of general culture.

Firstly, when preparing its dossiers, the journal has at its disposal the latest findings of the research groups that operate within the IEA, covering a broad spectrum of subject matters, from specific issues in the Humanities, e.g., Contemporary Cultural History, to highly trans-disciplinary topics, such as Sustainable Development, Applications of Biotechnology, Socio-Environmental Theories, Practices of Education in Brazil etc.

Secondly, in keeping with the spirit of the founders of the IEA, both the Institute and its journal strive to focus on the intersection between cutting-edge knowledge and the fundamental problems of Brazilian society.

Burning issues – such as the situation of black people in Brazil, the country’s ethnic, cultural and religious plurality, the need to encourage non-polluting forms of energy, the deforestation of Amazonia, the internal repercussions of the international financial crisis, the complexity of urban life in the nation’s metropolises, sustainable development – are comprehensively and exhaustively addressed in the journal’s dossiers. To this end, and acknowledging the trustworthiness of the Institute’s proposals and activities, centers of higher research in Brazil and abroad provide Estudos Avançados with ample information and in-depth interpretations in all these fields.

Thirdly, the inclusion and indexing of Estudos Avançados at SciELO, since 2004, and at Scopus, since 2006, not to mention the electronic English version of the dossiers, have contributed to the journal’s internationalization, as attested by the high and increasing number of page hits.

Finally, judicious design, high-quality printing and rigorous linguistic revision assure the standard of excellence to which the editors of Estudos Avançados aspire. One must mention here the contribution of award-winning graphic designer Fred Fordan (1928-2001), a German-born naturalized Brazilian, to the development of the journal’s layout.