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Publication Ethics Statement

The Journal of Peace, Conflict, and Security Studies (JPCSS) is committed to maintaining the highest standards of integrity and ethical conduct in the publication process. Our ethical guidelines are informed by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE, https://publicationethics.org/authorship) and designed to ensure transparency, accountability, and academic rigor in all stages of the publishing process. All parties involved—editors, authors, reviewers, and the publisher—are expected to adhere to these ethical standards.

  1. Responsibilities of the Editors
    1. Editorial Independence
      Editors have full authority over the entire editorial content of the journal and the timing of publication. Decisions on submissions will be made based solely on the paper’s academic merit, originality, relevance to the journal’s scope, and contribution to the field.
    2. Fair Play and Non-Discrimination
      Manuscripts are evaluated without regard to the authors' race, gender, sexual orientation, ethnic origin, citizenship, religious beliefs, or political philosophy.
    3. Confidentiality
      The editorial team will ensure that information regarding submitted manuscripts is kept confidential, sharing it only with the corresponding author, reviewers, and other editorial members, as appropriate.
    4. Conflict of Interest
      Editors will recuse themselves from handling manuscripts in which they have conflicts of interest, such as competing or collaborative relationships with any of the authors, institutions, or companies involved.
    5. Misconduct and Corrections
      Editors will actively respond to any ethical concerns raised about submitted or published papers. If unethical behavior is discovered, whether prior to or after publication, appropriate measures will be taken, including the retraction or correction of the article.
  2. Responsibilities of Authors
    1. Originality and Plagiarism
      Authors must ensure that their work is original and has not been published elsewhere. Plagiarism in any form constitutes unethical behavior and is unacceptable. Proper citations and acknowledgment of all sources must be made.
    2. Authorship
      All individuals who have significantly contributed to the research should be listed as co-authors. Authors must take responsibility for the content of their manuscript. Ghostwriting or honorary authorship is strictly prohibited.
    3. Data Access and Retention
      Authors must be prepared to provide raw data related to their paper for editorial review if requested and should retain such data for a reasonable time after publication.
    4. Disclosure of Conflict of Interest
      Authors must disclose any financial or other substantive conflict of interest that could influence the interpretation of their research results. All sources of financial support must be disclosed.
    5. Multiple or Redundant Publications
      Authors must not submit the same manuscript to more than one journal concurrently. Submitting the same research to multiple publications without acknowledgment constitutes unethical behavior.
  3. Responsibilities of Reviewers
    1. Contribution to Editorial Decisions
      Reviewers assist the editors in making editorial decisions and may also help authors improve their manuscript through constructive feedback.
    2. Confidentiality
      Manuscripts received for review are confidential documents. Reviewers must not share, discuss, or disclose the manuscript to others, except as authorized by the editor.
    3. Objectivity and Fairness
      Reviewers should provide an objective and constructive evaluation, avoiding personal criticism of the authors. Reviews should be based on clear and reasoned arguments.
    4. Acknowledgment of Sources
      Reviewers should identify any relevant published work not cited by the authors. If they suspect plagiarism or overlap with other published work, they must inform the editor.
    5. Conflicts of Interest
      Reviewers should recuse themselves from reviewing manuscripts where they have conflicts of interest resulting from competitive, collaborative, or other relationships with the authors or institutions involved.
  4. Responsibilities of the Publisher
    1. Ethical Oversight
      The publisher will work closely with the editors to support them in maintaining the integrity of the academic record. In cases of alleged misconduct, the publisher will support editors in investigating and taking appropriate corrective action, including publishing retractions or corrections when necessary.
    2. Handling of Unethical Publishing Behavior
      In collaboration with the editorial board, the publisher is responsible for ensuring that the journal adheres to the highest ethical standards, including taking appropriate action when ethical concerns are raised about a manuscript or published article.
  5. Addressing Ethical Concerns
    In cases where ethical issues arise, JPCSS will follow the COPE guidelines to resolve matters. Authors, reviewers, and readers are encouraged to report ethical concerns, including cases of suspected plagiarism, citation manipulation, data falsification, or any other unethical practices. Investigations will be conducted fairly and impartially, and corrective actions will be taken where necessary.