I would suggest joining forces with economic historians in the "battle" with SSCI, as the
dropping of HOPE may be only the first step in removing other journals from the SSCI, i.e.
from subdisciplines that do not have a publication outlet in the "core" economics
journals.
  
I can say that from my experience as a part of the editorial team at the European Journal
of Political Economy, that there are also other issues involved when the publishers of
SSCI drop you, or do not include you in SSCI. Perhaps Duke University Press should also
join the "battle" accordingly...
  
Warren Young