PUBLICATION POLICIES

POLICIES
PEER REVIEW POLICY

The Journal of Social Science Perspectives (JSSP) upholds the highest standards of academic publishing through a rigorous double-blind peer review process, ensuring the integrity, quality, and validity of all research it publishes. Upon submission, manuscripts are initially screened by the Editor-in-Chief or designated editorial board members for alignment with the journal’s aims and scope, ethical compliance, and adherence to submission guidelines; those falling outside the scope or raising ethical concerns may be returned without review. JSSP’s double-blind peer review ensures anonymity for both authors and reviewers, who are selected based on subject expertise, academic credentials, and prior reviewing experience, with each manuscript evaluated by at least two independent experts. Manuscripts are assessed on scholarly originality, methodological rigor, theoretical significance, clarity of presentation, and adherence to ethical research practices, with reviewers required to disclose any conflicts of interest. Editorial decisions, made independently by the Editor-in-Chief or assigned editors based on reviewer reports, may result in acceptance, minor or major revisions, or rejection. Authors must address reviewer comments through a detailed response letter when revising manuscripts, which may undergo further review if necessary. Authors may appeal editorial decisions with formal justification, reviewed by the Editor-in-Chief and, if needed, additional experts. JSSP strictly follows COPE guidelines, rejecting unethical practices such as plagiarism, data fabrication, or consent violations. All manuscripts and reviewer reports are treated as confidential, and reviewers are expected to provide objective, constructive, and timely feedback. Editorial decisions are based solely on scholarly merit, free from commercial, political, or personal influence. This policy reflects JSSP’s commitment to a fair, rigorous, and ethical publishing environment in the social sciences.

ARCHIVING POLICY

The Journal of Social Science Perspectives (JSSP) is committed to the long-term preservation and accessibility of its scholarly content. To safeguard the integrity of academic research and ensure permanent availability, JSSP employs internationally recognized digital archiving systems and robust storage solutions. The journal uses the LOCKSS system to create a distributed, redundant archive across a global network of libraries, ensuring research remains secure and retrievable even in cases of website outages or journal discontinuation. In addition, JSSP participates in the CLOCKSS initiative, which guarantees the continued availability of open-access content in the event of journal inactivity or publisher failure. Integration with the Public Knowledge Project’s Preservation Network (PKP PN) within the Open Journal Systems (OJS) platform enables automated archiving and enhances global discoverability. Each article is assigned a unique CrossRef DOI, ensuring persistent linking and permanent citation regardless of future platform changes. JSSP also maintains regular backups of all content and metadata in secure institutional repositories and encrypted cloud-based storage, protecting against data loss from server failures, cyber threats, or accidental deletion. To promote open-access dissemination, authors are permitted to self-archive preprints, accepted manuscripts, and published PDFs for personal or institutional use, with appropriate citation and restrictions on commercial redistribution. Through these comprehensive digital preservation strategies, JSSP ensures that its contributions to social science remain permanently accessible, securely archived, and readily available to researchers, academics, and policymakers worldwide.

WITHDRAWAL POLICY

The Journal of Social Science Perspectives (JSSP) is committed to maintaining academic integrity and transparency throughout the publication process and therefore follows a strict withdrawal policy. Authors are strongly encouraged to carefully consider their submission decisions before requesting withdrawal. A formal withdrawal request must be submitted in writing by the corresponding author to the Editor-in-Chief from their registered email address and should include the article title, all contributing authors, manuscript ID (if available), and a detailed justification for the withdrawal. Each request is assessed on a case-by-case basis, considering the stage of the editorial process, the validity of the reasons, and the potential impact on the academic community. Authors may withdraw manuscripts without penalty before acceptance, but repeated unjustified withdrawals may result in restrictions on future submissions. Withdrawal after acceptance is permitted only under exceptional circumstances, such as ethical concerns or significant methodological errors, with a formal notice issued if approved. Once an article is published, withdrawal is generally not allowed, and retraction is considered only in cases of plagiarism, research misconduct, or serious ethical violations, following Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) guidelines. Manuscripts that have already been cited cannot be withdrawn except in confirmed ethical breaches, and authors withdrawing post-acceptance without valid cause may be temporarily blacklisted. Withdrawals due to institutional or funding conflicts must be supported with documentation. JSSP encourages authors to consult co-authors, supervisors, or institutional ethics committees before submitting a withdrawal request to fully understand its implications.

COPYRIGHT AND PUBLISHING RIGHTS

The Journal of Social Science Perspectives (JSSP) upholds internationally recognized standards of publication ethics and copyright laws to ensure transparency, academic integrity, and equitable access to scholarly work. Upon acceptance, authors grant JSSP a non-exclusive license to publish, archive, and disseminate their manuscript in digital and print formats, while retaining copyright and the right to deposit their work in institutional repositories or preprint servers, include it in academic theses, books, or collected works, and distribute it for non-commercial educational or research purposes. Articles are licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY 4.0) or other standard open-access licenses, allowing free access, reuse, adaptation, and distribution with proper attribution, including for commercial purposes in accordance with ethical guidelines. Authors are responsible for ensuring originality, obtaining permissions for third-party materials, and securing co-author consent. JSSP retains the right to edit, format, publish, archive, and enforce ethical publication practices, including issuing retractions or corrections when necessary. Withdrawal after acceptance must follow the journal’s withdrawal policy, with possible fees if substantial editorial work has been undertaken. For questions regarding copyright, licensing, or permissions, authors may contact the JSSP Editorial Office at editor@jossp.com. By publishing in JSSP, authors agree to comply with these policies, promoting the ethical, legal, and responsible dissemination of social science research.

PUBLICATION ETHICS

The Journal of Social Science Perspectives (JSSP) is committed to upholding the highest standards of publication ethics and integrity. Its policies align with the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) and international best practices, including Elsevier’s Publishing Ethics, to ensure trustworthiness, scholarly value, and transparency. Authors are expected to submit original, unpublished work, properly credit all sources, disclose conflicts of interest and funding, and adhere to ethical standards, especially for research involving human participants or sensitive data with necessary ethics approvals. They must actively engage in the peer review process, respond promptly to editorial requests, and report any post-publication errors to facilitate corrections or retractions. The editorial team evaluates manuscripts objectively and impartially, maintains confidentiality, investigates ethical violations such as plagiarism or data fabrication, and issues corrections, retractions, or expressions of concern when necessary. Reviewers provide constructive, timely feedback, maintain confidentiality, report ethical concerns, and recuse themselves if conflicts of interest exist. JSSP enforces a zero-tolerance policy for plagiarism, data fabrication, and falsification, screening all submissions and taking appropriate action for misconduct, including rejection, retraction, notification of institutions or funders, and potential author bans. Authors are responsible for ensuring data integrity and reproducibility, clearly describing methodologies, and avoiding selective reporting or manipulations. All stakeholders must disclose potential conflicts of interest to avoid corrective actions. Ethical oversight is mandatory for human research, including approval from recognized ethics committees, informed consent, and protection of privacy in accordance with standards such as the Helsinki Declaration. JSSP maintains a transparent process for handling complaints, appeals, and allegations of misconduct, ensuring thorough investigation and corrective action when warranted. Overall, adherence to COPE, Elsevier’s Publishing Ethics, and the Helsinki Declaration ensures that all JSSP publications meet the highest standards of credibility, reliability, and ethical rigor in social science research.

PRIVACY STATEMENT

The Journal of Social Science Perspectives (JSSP) is committed to protecting the privacy of all individuals interacting with the journal, including authors, reviewers, editors, and readers. Personal information, such as names, email addresses, and institutional affiliations, is collected and used solely for managing manuscript submissions, facilitating communication, providing journal updates, and ensuring compliance with ethical and editorial standards. JSSP strictly does not share, sell, or distribute personal data for commercial purposes. The journal employs a double-blind peer review process, ensuring that authors and reviewers remain anonymous to each other and that personal information is protected throughout the review process. Data security measures include secure submission systems, access controls, and encryption protocols, while personal data is retained only as long as necessary to meet academic and legal requirements. Authors and reviewers may request removal or modification of their data by contacting the editorial office. JSSP may use third-party tools for submission, plagiarism detection, and indexing, with personal information shared only as necessary and in compliance with data protection regulations. The journal website may also use cookies and analytics tools to enhance user experience, with preferences managed via browser settings. Users have the right to access their data, request corrections, or withdraw consent for processing, subject to academic and legal obligations. For inquiries, users may contact the editorial office at editor@JSSP.com. By submitting manuscripts or registering on the platform, users acknowledge and agree to this privacy policy, which JSSP may update to remain aligned with evolving legal and ethical standards. This privacy statement reflects JSSP’s commitment to safeguarding personal information, ensuring confidentiality, and maintaining ethical standards in scholarly publishing.

WAIVER ELIGIBILITY

The Journal of Social Science Perspectives (JSSP) is committed to promoting inclusive and equitable access to academic publishing. To support researchers in low-resource settings, JSSP offers a structured Article Processing Charge (APC) waiver program for authors who may not be able to cover publishing costs. Authors may request a full or partial waiver if the corresponding author is affiliated with a recognized academic or research institution in a low-income country (as defined by the World Bank), holds a valid ORCID iD for authorship transparency, and provides a formal letter from their institution verifying financial inability to pay the APC. Waiver requests must be submitted at the time of manuscript submission, clearly indicated in the cover letter, and accompanied by the required documentation. JSSP follows the World Bank’s list of low-income and select lower-middle-income countries, including Afghanistan, Angola, Benin, Bhutan, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cambodia, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Haiti, Honduras, Indonesia, Kenya, Kyrgyz Republic, Lao PDR, Lesotho, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mozambique, Nepal, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Sudan, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, Vanuatu, Yemen, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. Authors must clearly indicate the waiver request in the submission cover letter, upload the formal financial hardship statement, and confirm eligibility. The JSSP Editorial Board evaluates all requests on a case-by-case basis, and authors are notified within 14 working days. APC waiver decisions are independent of the peer review process to ensure fairness, and availability is subject to annual funding. For inquiries or submission of documents, authors may contact the editorial office at editor@jossp.com. Through this transparent and equitable waiver policy, JSSP demonstrates its commitment to global inclusivity and advancing social science research across all regions.

LICENSING POLICY

The Journal of Social Science Perspectives (JSSP) is committed to promoting broad dissemination, ethical reuse, and open access to the social science research it publishes. To ensure transparency and global accessibility, JSSP follows a comprehensive licensing policy that allows authors to retain their rights while granting the journal the permissions needed for publication and distribution. All articles are licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY 4.0), unless otherwise specified, allowing readers and third parties to share, adapt, and use the work for any purpose, including commercial use, provided proper attribution is given. Authors retain full copyright of their work and may deposit preprints or accepted versions in institutional repositories, include the work in future academic publications, and distribute copies for educational or non-commercial research purposes. Meanwhile, JSSP retains the right to disseminate articles through indexing platforms, digital archives, and databases, as well as to implement corrections, errata, or retractions in line with COPE guidelines. For content incorporating third-party copyrighted material, authors must obtain written permission, provide proper attribution, and ensure compliance with the original license terms. The CC BY 4.0 license permits both commercial and non-commercial use of content, enabling educators, researchers, industry professionals, and policymakers to utilize data, figures, and findings responsibly. For special collections, editorials, or commentaries, alternative licensing may be granted upon request to meet funder or institutional requirements. Unauthorized use of content without attribution may lead to legal action or article retraction, emphasizing the importance of adherence to licensing terms. Authors and users with questions regarding permissions or licensing are encouraged to contact the JSSP Editorial Office at editor@jossp.com. By submitting to JSSP, authors agree to comply with this policy, ensuring the responsible dissemination of research, safeguarding intellectual property, and upholding the highest standards of global social science scholarship