Editorial Policies

Foundational principle of scholarly decisions

Editorial decisions must be based on scholarly quality, fit with the journal’s aims and scope, originality, significance of the research question, methodology, quality of analysis and strength of argument. Factors unrelated to scholarly quality — including nationality, gender, ethnicity, personal beliefs or social status of the author — must not influence decisions.

Editorial independence and responsibility

The editorial team is responsible for organizing and overseeing the manuscript review process, selecting qualified individuals for evaluation, maintaining confidentiality and making the final decision within the journal’s policies. Where an editorial member has a conflict of interest with a manuscript, they must be recused from decisions concerning that manuscript.

Initial screening of manuscripts

Before specialist evaluation, each manuscript is checked for topical fit, completeness of information, compliance with format and author guidelines, overall presentation quality and early indications of originality issues. This stage does not constitute final scholarly review and may result in a request for formal revisions or desk rejection of manuscripts outside the journal’s scope.

Peer review and specialist evaluation

Eligible manuscripts are referred to relevant specialists for scholarly evaluation. The journal uses double-blind peer review: the identity of authors is concealed from reviewers, and the identity of reviewers is concealed from authors. Each manuscript is normally assessed by at least two specialist reviewers. The final decision is based on the reviewers’ reports and the editorial evaluation; mere receipt of a manuscript or its entry into the review stage does not guarantee acceptance. Further details are set out on the Peer Review page.

Accepted manuscript types

The journal considers Original Research Articles and Review Articles / Book Reviews, provided they fit the journal’s scope and meet its scholarly and ethical requirements. The submission type selected in the submission form must accurately reflect the manuscript.

Originality, plagiarism and redundant publication

Authors are responsible for the originality of the manuscript and the accuracy of citations. Misappropriation of others’ work, use without appropriate citation, simultaneous submission to more than one journal, and redundant publication may lead to suspension of the review process or post-publication actions. Details are set out on the Plagiarism and Publication Ethics pages.

Conflict of interest

Authors, reviewers and editorial members must declare any conflict of interest related to a manuscript. A conflict of interest does not necessarily imply misconduct, but it must be managed so that the independence and impartiality of scholarly evaluation are preserved.

Appeals, complaints and handling

The journal provides a channel for questions, appeals or complaints about editorial processes through the journal office. Complaints should be examined on the basis of documented information and without improper influence on the scholarly handling of the manuscript. Where appropriate, the matter may be referred for further review to competent persons or bodies.

Corrections, retractions and post-publication issues

If a significant scholarly error or serious issue is identified after publication, the journal will investigate and, where necessary, publish a correction, notice or retraction in accordance with the relevant policies. The aim of these measures is to preserve the integrity of the scholarly record and prevent the spread of inaccurate information.

Related policies

Policy on the use of artificial intelligence

AI may be used only as an assisting tool for language editing, translation and improving writing. Using AI to generate original scholarly content or analyses for which the author bears scholarly responsibility is not permitted without transparent disclosure.

Authors must disclose the extent and manner of AI use and name the tool in the submission form. Authors remain fully responsible for the accuracy of the content; AI tools are not recognized as authors. No fixed percentage is specified: transparency, accountability and the assisting nature of use are the key criteria. Unauthorized and undisclosed use will be handled under publication regulations.

Similarity and plagiarism

Maximum overall similarity is 15%, and maximum similarity to any single source is 5%. The report is reviewed first; correctable issues are returned to the author for revision. If plagiarism is established, the manuscript is rejected and the matter is handled under the journal’s regulations.