The growth of guest editors and international co-editing in thematic issues: a longitudinal study (2010–2023)

This study examines the evolution in the number of guest editors and the degree of international co-editing in thematic issues published by Ibero-American open-access journals in Communication, and Library and Information Science. A longitudinal study spanning 14 years (2010–2023) was conducted on a sample of 182 journals indexed in the Directory of Open Access Journals, which published a total of 1510 monographic issues. The results reveal a 73.3% increase in the number of guest editors per thematic issue, reaching an average of 2.35 editors per issue in 2023. This growth was particularly pronounced in Communication journals and those indexed in the Scimago Journal and Country Rank (SJR). Additionally, the proportion of thematic issues coordinated by editors from different countries—initially a marginal phenomenon—rose to 37.3% in 2023. These findings indicate a growing trend toward international collaboration within editorial teams, especially in SJR-indexed journals, where co-editing rates have exceeded 50% in recent years. The expansion in the number of guest editors and in international co-editing appears to be linked to strategies to enhance international visibility, attract foreign contributions, and strengthen the academic positioning of journals in the Ibero-American region. Framed within the broader context of academic bibliodiversity studies, this research contributes to a deeper understanding of editorial dynamics and the role of guest editors in the thematic issues of Ibero-American open-access journals.