I think there would be a demand for an academic journal like this (I'd like to propose the name
J Bitcoin). It could be somewhat unorthodox in the sense that it would accept papers in all bitcoin-related fields (cryptography, economics, hardware engineering, etc). But because of this, it would be something I may actually read it. I think if we kept the quality high via a rigorous peer-review process, it may eventually establish itself as
the journal for research regarding bitcoin.
Chris Wilmer volunteers to be an editor
here, and I volunteer to donate 1 BTC if a credible plan to make this happen materializes
here. I've also received a few other messages from qualified people who are interested in contributing in one way or another.
I think three things need to come together (a website is the easy part):
1. We need people with the right CVs on the Editorial Board. I think we want a combination of recognized thought leaders in bitcoin, combined with PhD-types (especially with university connections).
2. We need a diverse list of experts willing to review the submissions, and work with the authors to refine their arguments.
3. We need a constant stream of high-quality submissions.
All of these are easy to achieve
if the journal is highly credible. But it is these things that make it credible in the first place, so it's a chicken-and-egg problem.
Perhaps this thread will help to further gauge interest and encourage additional discussion on the idea.