Publication Ethics and Research Integrity

JISPO is a peer-reviewed journal committed to upholding the highest standards of ethical publishing. This statement sets out the responsibilities and expected conduct of all parties involved in the publication process—authors, reviewers, editors (including the Editor-in-Chief and the Editorial Board), and the publisher (Centre for Asian Social Science Research, FISIP UIN Sunan Gunung Djati Bandung). JISPO’s policies are informed by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) Best Practice Guidelines and related COPE flowcharts.

Ethical Principles and Editorial Independence
Articles published in JISPO form part of a cumulative, reliable record of scholarship in Indonesian social and political studies. Editorial decisions are guided solely by the manuscript’s academic merit, relevance, methodological soundness, and contribution to the field, without regard to authors’ race, gender, sexual orientation, religious belief, ethnic origin, nationality, or political views. Commercial activities or revenue (e.g., advertising, reprints) do not influence editorial decisions or the integrity of the review process.

Allegations of Misconduct: Definitions and Process
Research misconduct includes, but is not limited to, fabrication, falsification, plagiarism, inappropriate manipulation of data or citations, and unethical research practices. When concerns arise, the Editor-in-Chief initiates an assessment that may involve the handling editor and, where appropriate, external experts (for example, statistical reviewers). Authors are invited to respond to substantiated concerns and to clarify potential conflicts of interest. JISPO follows COPE procedures to ensure a fair, thorough, and confidential investigation. Submissions found to involve misconduct are rejected. If misconduct is confirmed post-publication, JISPO will issue the appropriate notice (correction, expression of concern, or retraction) linked to the original article to safeguard the scholarly record.

Publication Decisions
The Editor-in-Chief, supported by the Editorial Board, is responsible for final decisions on manuscripts. Editors may consult reviewers and other editors as needed, and will consider legal and ethical requirements, including those related to defamation, copyright, and plagiarism.

Complaints and Appeals
JISPO provides a clear mechanism for handling complaints regarding the journal’s processes or personnel, including concerns about editorial bias, peer-review manipulation, or citation malpractice. Complaints are handled in line with COPE guidance, with due process, confidentiality, and documentation of outcomes. Reasoned appeals to editorial decisions are considered if they present substantive new information or identify a procedural error.

Post-Publication Dialogue
JISPO welcomes scholarly discussion after publication (e.g., letters to the editor or moderated commentary) when it constructively contributes to academic debate. Where warranted, the journal will publish clarifications, corrections, or retractions to maintain the accuracy of the record.

Confidentiality
Editors and editorial staff treat all submissions as confidential. Manuscripts and related materials are shared only with those directly involved in the editorial process—authors, reviewers, potential reviewers, and editorial advisors—as appropriate. Unpublished content from submissions may not be used in editors’ or reviewers’ own research without explicit written permission from the authors.

Conflicts of Interest and Disclosure (Editors and Reviewers)
Editors and reviewers must disclose any relationships or interests that could be perceived as influencing their assessment. They should decline assignments where conflicts exist. Privileged information obtained during peer review must remain confidential and must not be used for personal advantage.

Data Sharing and Research Transparency
To foster transparency, reproducibility, and verification, JISPO encourages authors to share underlying research materials—such as raw and processed data, code, analytical protocols, and instruments—when ethically and legally permissible. Data sharing statements should describe access conditions, repositories used, and any restrictions (e.g., privacy, confidentiality, or contractual constraints).

Duties of Reviewers
Reviewers support editorial decisions by providing timely, evidence-based, and impartial evaluations of a manuscript’s originality, methodological rigor, ethical compliance, clarity, and contribution. Manuscripts sent for review are confidential and must not be shared or discussed outside the review process without permission from the editor. Critiques should address the content rather than the authors personally, include appropriate citations for overlooked prior work, and alert editors to any suspected overlap or misconduct. Reviewers should recuse themselves if they lack the required expertise, face time constraints, or have conflicts of interest.

Duties of Authors
Authors must present an accurate account of their work and its significance, with sufficient detail and references to allow others to evaluate or replicate key elements. Submissions must be original; prior work and ideas of others must be appropriately cited. Simultaneous submission of the same manuscript to multiple journals or redundant publication of substantially similar work is unacceptable. Authorship should reflect significant contributions to conception and design, data collection, analysis or interpretation, drafting or critical revision, and final approval. The corresponding author must ensure that all listed co-authors meet authorship criteria and that all have approved the final manuscript and its submission. All funding sources and potential conflicts of interest must be disclosed. When authors discover significant errors in published work, they are obligated to promptly notify the journal and cooperate in issuing corrections or retractions.

Ethical Oversight (Human/Animal Subjects, Safety, and Sensitive Data)
When a study involves human participants, animals, hazardous materials, or sensitive procedures, authors must state that appropriate ethical approvals and informed consent were obtained and describe measures to minimize risk. Where research uses confidential, proprietary, or commercially sensitive data, authors must explain how confidentiality and data security are protected and whether any restrictions apply to data sharing.