The LENS (Looking East, New Scholarship) is a peer-reviewed student journal dedicated to research on Asia in the fields of social sciences and humanities. The journal welcomes interdisciplinary approaches and encourages contributions that explore Asia-related topics from diverse geographical and methodological perspectives. Studies addressing Asia beyond its geographical boundaries—such as diaspora, transnational networks, and cultural exchanges—are also welcome.

Data

Language of publication: English and Lithuanian;
Publication frequency: 2 per year; additionally, special issues may be published;
Print run: published online;

Editorial board

  • Arvydas Kumpis (Chief Editor), Vytautas Magnus University, Lithuania
  • Assoc. prof. Linas Didvalis (Managing Editor), Vytautas Magnus University, Lithuania
  • Simona Kumpė (Publications coordinator), Vytautas Magnus University, Lithuania
  • Assoc. prof. Una Aleksandra Bērziņa-Čerenkova (Chinese studies), Rīga Stradiņš University, Latvia

Advisory board

TBA

For authors

LENS submission guidelines

Contacts

LENS (Looking East, New Scholarship)
Vytautas Magnus University, Faculty of Humanities
V. Putvinskio 23, LT-44243, Kaunas, Lithuania
Tel.: +370-37-331323
E-mail: lens@vdu.lt

Call for Papers

Call for Papers – LENS (Looking East, New Scholarship)
The LENS invites submissions for its upcoming issue on topics related to Asia in the social sciences and humanities. The journal welcomes interdisciplinary and comparative research exploring Asia both within and beyond its geographical boundaries, including diaspora, transnational networks, and cultural exchange.
Eligibility 

    • • Early-career researchers.
      • Recent BA graduates (under review).
      • Master’s and PhD students.

Submission Categories 

    • • Translations (up to 3,000 words, with commentary)
      • PhD Thesis Reviews (up to 2,500 words)
      • Book Reviews (1,000–1,500 words)
      • Research Articles (6,000–8,000 words)

Formatting 

    • • Transliteration: Modified Hepburn (Japanese), Hanyu Pinyin (Chinese), Revised Romanization (Korean)
      • Abstract: 150–200 words + 4–6 keywords
      • Font: Times New Roman 12 pt, double-spaced
      • Style: APA 7th edition
      • Language: English

Ethics
All submissions must follow Vytautas Magnus University’s Code of Ethics and Code Plagiarism Prevention and be original, unpublished work.
Important Dates 

    • • Publication date: the next issue after the review is completed
      • Notification of review results: 2-5 months after submission
      • Submission deadline: constantly accepting