Q: Why is my paper still in the desk review stage after two months?

Usually when a paper is at the "desk review" stage, it means that the decision about whether or not to send the paper for peer review is still pending. The meaning of "under review" might vary across journals; with some journals, "under review" means that the paper is currently in the process of peer review, while in others, "under review" means that the paper is still at the initial screening stage. Since the status of your paper was "under review" first and then "desk review" we’re inclined to think that "under review" in this case refers to the initial editorial screening, and "desk review" means it's awaiting the final decision on whether or not the paper is to be sent for peer review.

Note that different journals have different turnaround times, and sometimes authors have to wait for months before hearing back. Nevertheless, if you would like an update on the status of your paper, you could get in touch with the journal by sending them an email inquiring about the status of your manuscript.

You may also find this handbook useful: Keep Calm And Wait: A Guide To Understanding Journal Statuses

We hope that you hear from the journal soon and wish you all the best for your research!