Thematic publishing has become a critical vehicle for disseminating mainstream values and key ideological concepts, while academic publishing, with its rigorous standards and authoritative knowledge, serves as a cornerstone for knowledge production and scholarly inheritance. The integration of academic rigor and thematic guidance creates a distinctive publishing form that carries both ideological weight and scholarly credibility—academic thematic publishing. Advancing academic thematic publishing is not merely a practical response to national publishing policies, but also a strategic imperative that holds significant implications for market expansion and the elevation of publishing's cultural and societal value. However, the core essence of academic thematic publishing remains under-theorized in existing research. This conceptual ambiguity not only obscures its social, cultural, and economic value but also renders its development path difficult to conceptualize and implement. Therefore, this study undertakes a systematic analysis of academic thematic publishing by positioning "thematic publishing" as the primary framework of ideological and value orientation, and adopting "academic publishing" as the methodological lens for quality control and knowledge construction. It emphasizes that academic publishing's inherent commitment to rigor and evidence-based scholarship serves as a powerful means to enhance the quality, authority, and long-term influence of thematic publishing works, thereby avoiding the risks of superficiality or homogenization. Building on this analytical foundation, the study elucidates the dual value of academic thematic publishing at both the social and economic levels. Socially, it plays a vital role in reinforcing mainstream values, enhancing cultural confidence, and strengthening the international competitiveness of Chinese academic thematic publishing. Economically, it contributes to high-quality development of the publishing industry and fosters new growth points in the knowledge economy. Notably, amid structural uncertainties such as falling birth rates and channel restructuring, educational publishing faces mounting pressure, while academic publishing continues to grow—a key breakthrough for thematic publishing to tap new markets. These considerations reveal the necessity of academic thematic publishing as an indispensable strategic component of China's national thematic publishing strategy. Finally, the study proposes a multi-dimensional development pathway to advance academic thematic publishing in its mission of connecting the era with individuals and conveying spiritual strength. This path unfolds across three coordinated dimensions: first, content development grounded in the organic integration of perspective depth, topic breadth, and discursive warmth as the foundational pillar; operational practices driven by demand-oriented convergent product development and knowledge-influencer-led new media marketing on platforms such as short video and live streaming as the operational engine; and ecosystem building through internal–external collaborative innovation among academic institutions, publishing houses, and digital platforms as the fundamental safeguard for sustainable growth.