Political Studies
The editorial ethics and the rules for avoiding malpractice in the academic series Political Studies adhere to internationally recognized standards and codes of conduct established by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE). The goal of publication ethics is to ensure the legitimacy of publications, the quality of scientific research, and the adherence to good practices for ethical behavior at all stages of the publishing process. The publication does not accept materials that have already been published in other editions in the same form or have been submitted for publication elsewhere. Plagiarism and the use of false information are unacceptable.
Responsibilities of the Editors
The editorial board accepts and evaluates manuscripts solely based on their scientific, linguistic, and stylistic qualities, and their academic value (originality, relevance, appropriateness, clarity).
The editorial team determines the content of the respective thematic issue and the publication date of the approved texts. It is their duty to ensure an impartial and competent process of anonymous peer review, as well as to inform authors in advance about the professional and technical requirements of the publication (published on its website), according to which the texts approved by the reviewers are edited. Editors maintain the anonymity of authors and reviewers and keep the manuscripts confidential, not disclosing any information about them without the written consent of the authors.
The editorial board is committed to selecting two anonymous reviewers—independent Bulgarian and foreign experts in the relevant field, besides its members—for each submitted text, without allowing a conflict of interest between reviewer and author. Editors submit the received manuscripts for review, provide reviewers with evaluation forms for the articles, and inform authors of the reviewers’ assessments and recommendations. In case of any violations of the professional ethical code by the authors, the editors have the right to reject the respective text.
Responsibilities of the Authors
Authors declare that the manuscripts submitted to Political Studies are their original scientific research, unpublished, and not submitted in the same form for publication elsewhere. In cases where previously published texts, excerpts from them, or extended versions are submitted, the previous publication should be indicated. When republishing an article issued in Political Studies or part of it, the author is required to cite the first publication.
Authors guarantee the authenticity of their manuscripts, correct and accurate citation of used sources, and must comply with the specified citation rules. Fraudulent or knowingly inaccurate statements are considered unethical behavior and are unacceptable.
Authors prepare their scientific research in accordance with the technical and editorial requirements for manuscript formatting adopted by the editorial board. Authors are responsible for the scientific value of the concept and data interpretation.
Authors are required to cooperate adequately and respond promptly to the editors' questions, as well as to provide necessary clarifications on their texts. It is desirable that authors comply with reviewers' recommendations as long as they do not seriously contradict their own ideas and theses. (However, in case of refusal, the editors reserve the right to reject the submitted manuscript.) Authors are obligated to comply with the publication's requirements for confidentiality of relations, anonymity of texts, and anonymity of reviewers.
Responsibilities of the Reviewers
All submitted manuscripts are treated as confidential documents with copyright and are subjected to double anonymous peer review. Reviewers are selected based on their competence in the field of the specific articles, avoiding conflicts of interest with the authors. Reviewers should be informed in advance by the editorial board about the professional and formal requirements of the publication.
Reviewers should receive standardized evaluation forms in which they reflect their assessment of the articles. Reviewers are required to objectively assess the scientific value of the submitted materials with clearly formulated conclusions and arguments and to note any deficiencies to assist authors in improving their manuscripts. Reviewers are committed to notifying the editors when plagiarism or overlap of the text with other known publications is detected. The reviewer notifies the Editor-in-Chief if they refuse to review a submitted manuscript when they do not feel sufficiently qualified, are unable to complete the review within the deadline, or due to a conflict of interest.