Publication Ethics

The journal is committed to upholding the highest standards of publication ethics to safeguard academic integrity, maintain public trust in scholarly communication, and ensure appropriate recognition of intellectual contributions in the Humanities and Social Sciences. All parties involved in the publication process—including editors, reviewers, and authors—are expected to comply with internationally accepted ethical principles and responsible research practices.

1. Principles of Ethical Publishing

The journal promotes ethical publishing practices to ensure that published work is:

• Original and trustworthy, based on honest and accurate research processes and reporting
• Transparent and accountable, with appropriate disclosure of funding and potential conflicts of interest
• Respectful of intellectual property, including proper citation and permission for third-party materials
• Fair and unbiased, with editorial decisions made solely on scholarly merit

2. Unethical Publication Practices (Prohibited Conduct)

The journal strictly prohibits the following forms of misconduct:

2.1 Data Fabrication and Data Falsification

• Fabrication refers to making up data or results and reporting them as if they were real.
• Falsification refers to manipulating research processes or altering/omitting data in a way that misrepresents the research findings.

Such misconduct constitutes a serious breach of academic integrity and will result in rejection or retraction, depending on the stage of publication.

2.2 Plagiarism (Including Self-Plagiarism)

Plagiarism includes presenting another person’s ideas, words, data, or creative work without proper attribution. This also includes self-plagiarism, where authors reuse substantial portions of their previously published work without appropriate citation and justification. Even limited verbatim copying without quotation and citation may be considered plagiarism.

2.3 Multiple Submissions

Submitting the same manuscript to more than one journal simultaneously is unethical. This practice wastes editorial and reviewer resources and may lead to reputational consequences for the author(s).

2.4 Redundant Publication and “Salami Slicing”

Redundant publication refers to publishing multiple papers that are substantially similar and derived from the same dataset, study, or research outcomes without a clear and legitimate scholarly rationale. “Salami slicing” (fragmenting one study into minimal publishable units) may be considered unethical when it reduces academic value and misrepresents the novelty of the work.

The journal may employ screening procedures and tools to detect overlap and questionable publication practices.

 

Publication Ethics and Responsibilities

3. Responsibilities of Editors

Editors and the Editorial Board are accountable for the integrity and quality of everything published in the journal. Editors are expected to:

• Make publication decisions based solely on academic merit, originality, relevance to the journal’s scope, and methodological rigor, without interference from owners, sponsors, or commercial interests.
• Handle submissions in a fair, objective, and timely manner, without discrimination on the basis of gender, ethnicity, nationality, institutional affiliation, religion, political beliefs, or other personal characteristics.
• Maintain confidentiality of all submitted manuscripts and associated correspondence, sharing materials only for legitimate editorial and peer-review purposes.
• Provide clear guidance to authors and reviewers regarding editorial expectations, review criteria, and ethical standards.
• Take appropriate actions when ethical concerns arise, including issuing corrections, clarifications, expressions of concern, or retractions when necessary.
• Ensure the peer-review process is transparent by publicly describing the review model and being able to justify any substantial deviation from stated procedures.
• Provide a fair mechanism for appeals and complaints, allowing authors to request reconsideration when justified.

 

4. Peer Review Ethics

The journal applies a double-blind peer-review process and expects reviewers to uphold the following ethical responsibilities:

• Conduct reviews objectively, constructively, and professionally, focusing on academic quality, originality, and relevance.
• Treat manuscripts as confidential documents and not share, discuss, or use content for personal advantage.
• Declare any conflicts of interest (e.g., personal, institutional, or financial relationships) and decline review when conflicts may compromise impartiality.
• Provide feedback that is evidence-based and respectful, avoiding personal criticism.
• Complete reviews within the agreed timeframe or promptly notify the editor if delays occur.

 

5. Responsibilities of Authors

Authors are responsible for ensuring that all submitted work meets ethical and scholarly standards. Authors must:

5.1 Originality and Proper Citation

• Confirm that the manuscript is original, and that all sources—including ideas, text, data, figures, or methods—are appropriately cited.
• Avoid plagiarism in all forms, including inappropriate reuse of previously published content without citation.

5.2 Authorship and Contributor Transparency

• Ensure that authorship accurately reflects individuals who made substantial contributions to the research and manuscript preparation.
• Agree collectively on the order of authorship and obtain consent from all co-authors prior to submission.
• Confirm that all listed authors have reviewed and approved the final version and consent to submission.

5.3 Exclusive Submission and Prior Publication

• Confirm that the manuscript is not under consideration or accepted elsewhere.
• Clearly acknowledge and cite any overlapping content with prior publications or submissions, where applicable.

5.4 Copyright and Permissions

• Ensure the manuscript does not contain defamatory content or infringe copyrights, privacy rights, or other third-party rights.
• Obtain written permission to reproduce any third-party materials (e.g., extensive text, figures, tables, or images) unless covered by applicable exceptions.

5.5 Funding Disclosure and Conflicts of Interest

• Disclose all sources of research funding and relevant support, including funding for article processing charges (if applicable).
• Declare any potential conflicts of interest that could influence interpretation of findings or editorial evaluation.

 

6. Handling Ethical Misconduct

If ethical concerns are identified before or after publication, the journal may take appropriate action, which may include: rejection, request for clarification, notification of the author’s institution (when necessary), publication of corrections, or retraction. The journal reserves the right to investigate concerns in a fair and confidential manner consistent with accepted academic standards.