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ILO International Labour Organisation

Historical perspectives on the International Labour Review 1921–2021: A century of research on the world of work

Abstract

Historical perspectives on the International Labour Review 1921–2021: A century of research on the world of work

This article analyses the history of the International Labour Review (ILR), which was created in 1921, based on the provisions of Article 396 of the Treaty of Versailles of 1919, as a major periodical publication of the International Labour Organization (ILO). The article reviews, from various perspectives, the ILR’s transformation from an institutional multipurpose periodical to today’s modern academic journal, including its institutional journey, the role of the editors in charge and the professional and academic profiles of the ILR’s authors. It studies the ILR’s contribution to important academic and policy debates and the ILR's  role for the ILO by examining from a historical perspective the contents, topics and geographical focus of the almost 3,000 signed articles published to date.