The publications in this series are the results of research work carried out by winners of OSSREA's Social Science and Gender Issues Research Competitions. The research report series was first launched in December 1985. So far, OSSREA has published 33 issues under the Social Science Research Report Series. The completed research reports submitted by the winners are each assessed by at least one reviewer and only those reports which are regarded as being original and that are recommended for publication without major revisions are produced in the series. The reports that are not published are deposited in an archival section of the OSSREA Documentation Centre for reference by researchers. The series do not of a fixed publication schedule. Each year, 4-7 issues of the series are published depending on the number of reports submitted by winners and the number reports recommended for publication.