Post-Publication Discussion Policy

TEMALI: Jurnal Pembangunan Sosial, published by the Sociology Study Program, Faculty of Social and Political Sciences (FISIP), Universitas Islam Negeri Sunan Gunung Djati Bandung, is committed to fostering constructive scholarly dialogue, academic transparency, and the integrity of published research. The journal encourages responsible post-publication discussion and critical engagement with articles published in the journal, recognizing that scholarly evaluation continues beyond the initial peer-review and publication processes.

Post-publication discussion provides an opportunity for readers, authors, researchers, and other members of the academic community to critically evaluate, clarify, challenge, or further develop published findings, theoretical arguments, methodological approaches, and interpretations relevant to social development and related fields.

1. Forms of Post-Publication Discussion

The journal welcomes evidence-based, academically relevant, and respectful contributions concerning published articles. Post-publication discussion may take the following forms:

  1. Letters to the Editor: Scholarly comments, constructive critiques, questions, or clarifications concerning the content, methodology, findings, or interpretations of a published article.

  2. Author Responses: Formal responses from the authors of the original article addressing substantive scholarly criticism, questions, or requests for clarification.

  3. Scholarly Commentaries: Critical analyses, alternative interpretations, or theoretical and methodological reflections that contribute to ongoing academic discussions within the journal's scope.

  4. Corrections and Clarifications: Notifications concerning factual, methodological, bibliographical, or interpretative errors that require clarification or formal correction.

  5. Research Integrity Concerns: Reports concerning suspected plagiarism, unreliable data, authorship disputes, undisclosed conflicts of interest, research ethics violations, or other matters affecting the integrity of published research.

2. Submission and Editorial Assessment

Post-publication comments, critiques, clarifications, and concerns may be submitted to the Editorial Team through the journal's official communication channels.

Submissions should clearly identify the article concerned, explain the issues raised, and provide appropriate scholarly arguments, references, or supporting evidence.

The Editor-in-Chief or designated members of the Editorial Team will evaluate submissions based on their academic relevance, evidentiary support, scholarly contribution, and compliance with the journal's publication ethics policies.

Where appropriate, the Editorial Team may:

  1. Request additional clarification or supporting evidence from the contributor.

  2. Invite the authors of the original article to respond to substantive comments or criticisms.

  3. Seek independent expert assessment or peer review of formal scholarly critiques and author responses.

  4. Recommend revisions to ensure academic clarity, accuracy, and constructive scholarly engagement.

  5. Publish accepted discussions or responses as formally identified scholarly correspondence, where appropriate.

Editorial decisions concerning post-publication contributions will be made independently and impartially, with appropriate consideration of potential conflicts of interest.

3. Author Responses and Scholarly Dialogue

Authors whose published works are subject to substantive scholarly criticism will normally be offered an opportunity to provide a reasoned response before formal critiques and related responses are published.

Responses should address the academic substance of the issues raised and, where appropriate, provide supporting evidence, clarification, or additional scholarly references.

The journal encourages constructive exchanges that contribute to the development of knowledge rather than personal disputes. The absence of an author response will not automatically prevent the journal from considering or publishing a substantiated scholarly critique.

4. Ethical Standards and Acceptable Contributions

All post-publication discussions must uphold the principles of academic integrity, professionalism, objectivity, and mutual respect.

The journal will not accept contributions containing:

  1. Personal attacks, harassment, or discriminatory language.

  2. Defamatory statements or unsupported allegations.

  3. Deliberately misleading or fabricated evidence.

  4. Confidential information disclosed without appropriate authorization.

  5. Material unrelated to the scholarly content or integrity of the article.

  6. Other content that violates applicable laws or the journal's publication ethics policies.

Legitimate scholarly disagreement and evidence-based criticism will not be rejected merely because they challenge the findings, interpretations, or conclusions of published research.

5. Research Integrity and Editorial Actions

When post-publication discussion raises substantial concerns regarding the accuracy, reliability, or ethical status of published research, the Editorial Team will assess the matter in accordance with the journal's Retraction & Withdrawal Policy, including its provisions on corrections and other post-publication actions.

Depending on the nature and seriousness of the concerns, appropriate editorial actions may include:

  1. Publication of a correction or clarification.

  2. Issuance of an Expression of Concern.

  3. Retraction of a published article when its findings or integrity are substantially compromised.

  4. Referral of suspected research misconduct to relevant institutions or authorities, where appropriate.

  5. Other editorial measures necessary to preserve the accuracy and integrity of the scholarly record.

Such actions will be based on available evidence, the principles of procedural fairness, and relevant publication ethics guidelines.

6. Transparency and Publication of Discussions

Formal post-publication critiques and author responses accepted for publication will be clearly identified and, where appropriate, linked to the original article to ensure transparency and traceability.

Published discussions will remain accessible in accordance with the journal's Open Access Policy and applicable copyright and licensing provisions.

The Editorial Team will maintain appropriate records of post-publication concerns, correspondence, assessments, and decisions while protecting confidential information where necessary.

The journal will handle post-publication discussions fairly, consistently, and as promptly as reasonably possible, recognizing the importance of both scholarly debate and the reliability of the published academic record.

7. Commitment to COPE Guidelines

TEMALI: Jurnal Pembangunan Sosial follows the relevant recommendations of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE), particularly its guidance on Handling of Post-Publication Critiques and its core practices concerning post-publication discussions and corrections.

Through this policy, the journal reaffirms its commitment to constructive academic dialogue, editorial independence, transparency, accountability, and the continuous evaluation and improvement of published scholarly research.