Introduction
Geographic diversity in peer review is often discussed as a principle. Rarely is it measured with precision. Most editorial teams rely on broad assumptions or surface-level indicators like institutional prestige, which tend to skew heavily toward the Global North.
The challenge isn’t just acknowledging this imbalance. It’s building a simple, repeatable way to measure it, track it over time, and actively correct it without compromising reviewer quality.
1. Define a Simple, Actionable Diversity Metric
Geographic diversity becomes manageable only when it is measurable. Without a clear metric, it remains an abstract goal rather than an operational lever.
A practical metric could track:
- % of reviewers from Global North vs Global South
- Regional distribution across accepted invitations
- Diversity at assignment level (per manuscript, not just aggregate)
Final thought
Geographic diversity isn’t just about representation. It shapes how research is evaluated, interpreted, and validated.
Measuring diversity is the first step. Acting on it is where the real shift happens.
