Social Alternatives analyses, critiques, and reviews contemporary social issues and problems. The journal seeks to generate insight, knowledge, and understanding of our contemporary circumstances in order to determine local, national, and global implications.

Social Alternatives values the capacity of intellectual and artistic endeavour to prompt imaginative solutions and alternatives and publishes refereed articles, review essays, commentaries and book reviews as well as short stories, poems, images and cartoons. The journal has grappled with matters of contemporary concern for three decades, publishing articles and themed issues on topics such as: peace and conflict, racism, Indigenous rights, social justice, human rights, inequality and the environment.